Philip Kotler, the great marketing guru, was in town recently lecturing Indian marketing professionals and brand managers on concepts, positioning and strategy. I have a sneaking suspicion that the former Indian cricket coach, the Kiwi John Wright, was hurriedly taking notes, surreptitiously and incognito.

Everything about John Wright's book has a methodical marketing mind behind it; the title (Indian Summers), the launch (pre-Champions Trophy in October later this year in India), the pre-release publicity being done by the publishers (juicy excerpts are floating around with insouciant ease). But pray, what exactly are we getting so excited about? Just what is that big bombshell USP about Wright's cricketing experiences which has been so generously leaked?

So Wright says that the selectors were happily doing their own number, promoting their own back street boys. Now how in heavens is that "breaking news"? In fact, this is such hackneyed stuff that even Karan Johar, would believe that he is the master and commander of originality and innovation.

So Laxman got a raw deal? Hey, do you think that is a mysterious revelation? It's like saying that you know what, but George Bush lives in the White House and has a pea-sized brain. Thanks, but no big thanks for that piece of enchanting enlightenment. And the next Amazonian surprise; supposedly Sourav Ganguly manipulated the entry of Sunil Gavaskar as a batting coach. Of course he did, and we stopped speculating on that several moons ago, because it was as palpable as Mallika Sherawat's sprightly endowments.

So Sachin Tendulkar was as peeved as Tulsi in Kyonki Saas and all that, because acting captain Rahul Dravid declared the innings at Multan with the national icon six runs short of a double hundred. Now how in blistering barnacles is that a sensational copy? Sachin himself said so in a heavy-duty press conference, looking like a petulant sulking schoolboy with his chin kissing the floor, chasing personal milestones, and far removed from the image of a selfless batting genius who played his heart and helmet out for his country.

In fact, if you carefully analyze Sachin's career post that Multan heartache (for him only), it has been the turning point of his career. He may have scored runs thereafter as well, but he has never reached his earlier dizzying heights.

Essentially, in the dressing room, his team-mates who had earlier hero-worshipped him with the reverence reserved for a holy symbol, had discovered that Tendulkar, in fact, had feet of clay and saw-dust. Yes, he had prodigious talent, but the man was essentially just that. Brilliant, but not biblical.

Coming back to Wright's book, from the initial excerpts it looks as cheesy as Domino's margarita pizza. So let's stop promoting it, unless we simply can't do without his cheddar dips. And for giving his book some more additional publicity through this column, I do hope John Wright will give me a free complimentary copy. Unsigned or otherwise.