Tendulkar to captain India (10 Aug 1996)

August 10 1996

Tendulkar to captain India

By Mark Nicholas

SACHIN TENDULKAR yesterday was named captain of India, replacing Mohammad Azharuddin. Tendulkar, 23, who has been India`s batting mainstay since he began playing Test cricket in 1989, will lead the team for the Singer one-day tournament beginning in Sri Lanka on Aug 24 and for the Sahara Cup against Pakistan in Canada in September.

"We felt Azharuddin`s performance as captain was not up to the mark for the last couple of series and we need a change for the two tours," G R Vishwanath, chairman of the team selection committee, said.

But Azharuddin could still be included in the team as a batsman, said Vishwanath, a former Test player. The decision to replace Azharuddin was "emotional and tough".

Tendulkar becomes the second-youngest captain of an Indian team after Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who was appointed when he was 21.

Yesterday`s decision by the Board of Cricket Control in India ends Azharuddin`s six-year reign as captain during which he led the team to 12 Test victories - the highest by any Indian captain so far.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)