Sachin Tendulkar says he lacked freedom to pick team as captain
The cricket legend described the 1990s as a dark phase for Indian cricket during a Reddit session on Tuesday.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar said he did not always have the freedom to pick his team entirely on his own during his stints as India's captain in the 1990s. Speaking during an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Reddit on Tuesday, Tendulkar noted that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is a far more professional organisation today than it was during that period, according to reports by Times of India, Times Now and News18.
Tendulkar described the era as a dark phase for Indian cricket. He led the national team in two separate stints, captaining in 25 Test matches and 73 One Day International (ODI) games. In his Test captaincy, India won four matches, lost nine, and drew 12.
In ODIs, the team won 23 and lost 43.
The former batter named Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni as his favourite captains. He noted that under Ganguly, India reached the 2003 ODI World Cup final, while under Dhoni, he fulfilled his dream of winning the 2011 ODI World Cup title.
Tendulkar also expressed admiration for South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, stating that Bavuma has led from the front and delivered remarkable results. Regarding the appointment of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as East Zone vice-captain for the Duleep Trophy 2026, Tendulkar said it was too early and suggested the player should play more red-ball matches first.