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WELLINGTON, Monday (AFP) - India coach John Wright is hoping the return of Sachin Tendulkar will spark a turnaround in his team's fortunes as they prepare to face New Zealand here Wednesday.

Wright has seen India's form go from bad to awful in recent weeks, with the Test series lost 2-0 and his side 4-0 down in the best of seven one day series.

Their latest defeat - a crushing seven-wicket loss on Saturday - has left many here describing India as one of the worst sides to tour New Zealand in recent years.

Now Wright is hoping that a fit-again Tendulkar, who missed the first four one-dayers, can lift India's battered morale in Wednesday's game at the Westpac Stadium.

"Things may change when he comes back for this match," Wright said of Tendulkar, the leading run-scorer in the world with 11,544 in 300 matches with a record 33 centuries.

The master batsman has not played a one-dayer since the Champions Trophy final against Sri Lanka at Colombo in September.

Wright defended beleaguered skipper Sourav Ganguly despite the Indian captain's poor run with the bat in Tests and one-dayers.

Ganguly has so far scored 29 runs in his four Test innings and 20 in four one-dayers.

"It's a difficult time for a captain when things are not working for you," said Wright.

"Being the captain of India is a tough job and we are all under pressure. I think he'll back leading from the front. With the return of Tendulkar, we can turn things around in the next few days."

India's pathetic performances continued to provoke derision in New Zealand's sports press.

"To label India the worst team to tour New Zealand might be slightly over the top considering Bangladesh were here last summer but, in terms of the most disappointing, it's a one-horse race," a local daily noted.

The tourists lost both of their Tests inside three days on seamer-friendly pitches before four heavy defeats in the one day series.

"India have been shown up as spineless and directionless in the Test and one-day series this summer, which would not be such a bad thing if they did not go around the world parading themsleves as the most talented batting lineup in commission," wrote the Dominion Post.

"India are a beaten lot. Their spirit is gone and perhaps the laid-back nature of being in New Zealand, where the players have more freedom than elsewhere, has played a part in their downfall.

"Now all it needs is for the Indian cricket board to live up to its reputation as the most dysfunctional in the world and make coach John Wright the scapegoat."

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