Indian cricket selectors have sacked Sachin Tendulkar as captain after a disappointing run of results.

Tendulkar, 24, was replaced with Mohammad Azharuddin on Friday after a dramatic two-hour meeting of the five-member selection committee in Bombay headed by former Test fast bowler Ramakant Desai.

Desai explained: "We removed Tendulkar because he could not take the pressure of both batting and captaincy."

Azharuddin, 34, will lead the team in next week's limited-overs tournament against Pakistan and Bangladesh in Dhaka, as well as the home series against Australia in February and a three-nation one-day series also featuring Zimbabwe.

He returns to the captaincy after a gap of 16 months.

Azharuddin was axed in August 1996 after India's disastrous tour of England, during which they lost the test and one-day series.

All-rounder Ajay Jadeja will be Azharuddin's deputy for the Dhaka tournament from January 10-19.

The team will be named on Saturday.

Selectors lost patience with Tendulkar after he failed to lead India to a win in 12 tests in 1997 and managed just 10 victories in 39 one-day internationals.

Under Tendulkar, India have won just three of their 17 tests and 17 of 54 one-day games.

His last test win was at home to South Africa in December 1996 but India were turned over in the series in South Africa, the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

India also play one-day matches in Sharjah and Sri Lanka and a full test series at home against Pakistan later in the year.

Although stripped of the captaincy, Tendulkar is certain to retain his place in the team.
 

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