Kuldip Lal: Tough-talking Tendulkar cracks whip (15 Aug 1996)

15 August 1996

Tough-talking Tendulkar cracks the whip

By KULDIP LAL

NEW DELHI, Wednesday (AFP) - Batting sensation Sachin Tendulkar settled into his new role as India`s captain on Wednesday by warning team-mates to shape up or ship out.

The 23-year-old, who replaced the beleaguered Mohammad Azharuddin as skipper earlier this week, cracked the whip on his first day in office.

``I will not allow anyone to relax,`` the tough-talking Tendulkar told his players during a pre-season camp in Madras ahead of the four-nation Singer Cup in Sri Lanka later this month.

``I told the players what their responsibilities are. They have to work real hard at the camp because I will not tolerate any slackness,`` he said.

Tendulkar`s elevation to the hot seat received nation-wide support after embarrassing defeats in the World Cup, two other limited-overs tournaments in Singapore and in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, and both the test and one-day series in England.

But the master batsman, who served a three-year apprenticeship under Azharuddin, refuses to believe the expectations will burden his captaincy - or his extraordinary skills with the bat.

``There is no pressure,`` he said. ``You cannot perform if you get bogged down by pressure.

``It`s not that captaincy is new to me. I have led Bombay and West Zone in domestic cricket and it has not affected my batting.

``I am ready for the job. It`s a great honour to lead your country,`` he said.

Tendulkar brushed aside speculation that his age - he is the team`s youngest player along with Saurav Ganguly - will pose a problem with seniors like the 33-year-old Azharuddin.

``Age has got nothing to with it,`` he said. ``I have been playing international cricket for the last seven years and understand the responsibilities of being a captain.

``There will not be any ego hassles with Azharuddin. He is such a nice person and we get along very well.

``I will leave Azhar alone to regain his batting touch because he is such an invaluable member of the team. Easily one of the best batsmen in the world.``

Azharuddin, the target of a vicious media attack because of poor form and a troubled personal life, responded by saying that Tendulkar ``can be assured that I will give 100 per cent.``

The selectors retained Azharuddin in the 14-man squad for the Singer Cup against world champions Sri Lanka, Australia and Zimbabwe and a five-match series against Pakistan in Canada next month.

Tendulkar said both series were tough, but ideal warm-ups for the hectic season ahead which includes home tests against Australia and South Africa and tours to South Africa and the West Indies.

Tendulkar, whose tenure as captain is certain to be expanded beyond the Sri Lankan and Canadian tours, predicts a brighter future for Indian cricket.

``I want to make a team capable of beating any side in the world, and this team has the potential to do it``, he said.

``The Singer Cup will be very interesting, but our real test will come when we play Pakistan in Canada. It`s always very special against Pakistan.``

The baby-faced Tendulkar, who made his international debut against Pakistan in 1989, is already a veteran of 41 tests in which he has scored 2, 911 runs with 10 centuries and 14 halfcenturies.

He has also played 118 one-day internationals, scoring 4,084 runs with eight hundreds.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)