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'Captaincy is taking the other 10 members of the team along'

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Indian cricket captain Sachin Tendulkar said today that his reluctance to accept captaincy was only because he was not mentally prepared for the job.

He was speaking at a meet-the-press programme at the Cricket Club of India in Bombay. He said that usually it is a practice to make the vice-captain the captain, and since he wasn't the vice-captain, he was not ready for the job.

"I was just concentrating on winning matches for India and my own form. However, now that I have been named captain, I have prepared myself mentally," he stated.

He added that he had conveyed the same to Rajsingh Dungarpur, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Ajit Wadekar, chairman of the selection committee, and coach Anshuman Gaekwad.

Asked whether he was prepared when he was named captain earlier, Tendulkar replied: "Since I was vice-captain for three years, before being appointed captain the first time, I was always preparing myself for the job. When it came, I was ready."

The master batsman also said it was hard to say when exactly one is prepared to accept the challenges of captaincy. "It is gut feeling. Now that I have been made captain, I have to give off my best, he said."

Tendulkar said he came to know of the selectors' verdict the same evening the selection committee met in Nagpur. "I wasn't in Bombay, but when I came back late, I received the message on my telephone. I also heard it in the news," he said.

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Asked about the message, regarding his appointment, that BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele had left on his answering machine, Tendulkar said, "I do not exactly remember; I went through all the message that night." However, in afterthought, he added, "Yes, it was 'You have been named captain, congratulations'."

He was noncommittal on the goals he planned to set for the team, though he said he always set goals for himself and the team, and tries to follow them. "Right now is not the time to discuss strategy to be adopted," he said.

Tendulkar said that as a batsman there is always scope for him to perform better. "I can always improve and perform better, and I will try to do that. The batting is entirely mine, but the captaincy is taking the other 10 members of the team along with me."

On his batting order, he revealed that he would like to open the innings.

Asked whether there were any pre-conditions attached to taking up the job, Tendulkar affirmed, "When I did not meet the chairman of selectors where is the question of me setting any pre-conditions."

Tendulkar said his approach to captaincy would be the same as before. "The past is finished. You always go out to win and I will do only that. If I live up to my expectations I will be happy. I have always placed the country's honour above myself, he declared."

On India's World Cup performance, Tendulkar said that he thought the team did a decent job. "The match against Australia was the crucial one since the league stage was over and we had every chance of making the semis."

He reiterated that he surely would like deposed captain Mohammad Azharuddin in the team. "He has played under me before, therefore I don't think there should be a problem. However, the selectors will decide on his inclusion," he said.

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On whether the Sahara Cup should be revived now that the Kargil issue has come to an end, Tendulkar replied: "My stand is still the same; still I read about something or the other happening over there. Our jawans are dying, therefore, I stick to my earlier stand of not playing against them till the war continues.

He dismissed Wasim Akram's statement that the Indian think-tank should stick with Azhar as captain, saying, "I do not think about what Akram says. They do not take our advice so why should we pay attention to what they say."

Photographs: Jewella C Miranda

UNI