Tendulkar will lead India to Sri Lanka (10 Aug 1996)

10 August 1996

Tendulkar will lead India to Sri Lanka

CALCUTTA, Friday (Reuter) - Indian cricket selectors on Friday named 23-year-old batting star Sachin Tendulkar as the national team`s new captain, replacing Mohammad Azharuddin who had captained the team since 1989.

"We felt Azharuddin`s performance as captain was not up to the mark for the last couple of series,`` Gundappa Vishwanath, chairman of the selection committee, told reporters.

Tendulkar, considered a cricketing sensation since his teenage days, will captain India in the four-nation Singer Cup beginning in Sri Lanka later this month, Vishwanath said. He would later lead India in the Sahara Cup in Canada.

"We need a change for the two tours,`` said Vishwanath after the selectors met for more than two hours. The teams for the two tournaments were expected to be announced on Saturday.

Azharuddin, 33, has been struggling with his form as a batsman and recently led India to a 0-1 defeat in a three-test series in England. Under Azharuddin, India also lost in the semifinals of the World Cup played in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan earlier this year.

Tendulkar will be India`s second-youngest captain, after "Tiger`` Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who was made captain when he was 21 (REUTER).

The venue for the inaugural Test match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Sri Lanka has been finally decided.

It will be played at the Tyronne Fernando Stadium, Moratuwa from September 11-15.

This decision was arrived at a meeting of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board Friday evening.

Cricket Board sources said that although the stadium needed certain improvements they had no choice but to play the Test there as Asgiriya was ruled out due to bad weather being prevalent during the period.

The second Test in this short series of two will be played at the SSC grounds from September 18-22.

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