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Taibu becomes youngest captain in Test cricket

May 06, 2004 17:42 IST

Tatenda Taibu became the youngest captain in the Test cricket history when he led Zimbabwe in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Harare on Thursday. Taibu, who will turn 21 on May 14, obliterated India's Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's long standing world record.

Pataudi was 21 years 77 days old when he captained India for the first time in the third match of five match series against West Indies at Bridgetown in 1961-62. Pataudi, however, got the captaincy by accident rather than by appointment.

Nariman Contractor was Indian captain for this tour and captained India in first two Tests, but was unavailable because of a head injury and Pataudi was given this responsibility of leading his side. It is to Pataudi's credit that he turned out to be one of the best captains India have ever produced.

Taibu, despite becoming the youngest Test captain, still does not hold the unique record associated with 'Tiger' Pataudi. Pataudi was the youngest of the eleven players whom he captained in that match at Bridgetown. This Zimbabwean side has as many as five players younger than Taibu!

It is worth mentioning that in April Taibu became the youngest captain in one-day internationals. So he now holds the top spot in both forms of cricket.

The accompanying table lists the youngest captains in Test cricket:

Years	Days	Captain	For	Vs	Venue	Season
20	358	T Taibu	Zim	SL	Harare	2003-04
21	77	Nawab of Pataudi	Ind	WI	Bridgetown	1961-62
22	15	Waqar Younis	Pak	Zim	Karachi	1993-94
22	82	GC Smith	SA	Ban	Chittagong	2002-03
22	194	ID Craig	Aus	SA	Johannesburg	1957-58
22	260	Javed Miandad	Pak	Aus	Karachi	1979-80
22	306	M Bisset	SA	Eng	Johannesburg	1898-99
23	144	MP Bowden	Eng	SA	Cape Town	1888-89
23	169	SR Tendulkar	Ind	Aus	Delhi	1996-97
23	217	GC Grant	WI	Aus	Adelaide	1930-31
23	292	IFW Bligh	Eng	Aus	Melbourne	1882-83
23	319	SP Fleming	NZ	Eng	Christchurch	1996-97
23	354	ADR Campbell	Zim	SL	Colombo	1996-97

Rajneesh Gupta