Sachin to step down after Tests

Tendulkar also said he was willing to play under any captain and with anyone selected in whatever capacity in the team after the two-Test series.The selectors are thus forced to appoint a new captain for the five-match limited overs series against South Africa to follow the Test series.

With Tendulkar explaining his stance, the shocked selectors spent more time in the meetingcoaxing him to alter the decision. In fact, the selectors had asked Tendulkar to make the announcement after the Test series. However, the master batsman seems to have learnt his lessons well. His contention was if the team doesn’t fare well against South Africa, he would be held responsible for the fiasco since he had taken a decision to resign from captaincy.

During the Australian tour both Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar had taken decisions which didn’t go down well with members of the selection panel and certain BCCI bigwigs. They had reportedly resisted the move to bring back Azharuddin too.

Chandu Borde, selection committee chairman, thronged by TV cameras and press reporters while declaring the team, said that Tendulkar did not raise any objection during the meeting when Azharuddin’s name came up, adds PTI.

When asked about the absence of Kapil Dev, Borde pointed to BCCI Secretary Jaywant Lele: “You should ask this question to Mr Lele.” Lele’s response: “I don’t know. He was invited but hedidn’t come,” is Lele’s response.Kapil Dev today told PTI said he felt “humiliated” by the treatment meted out to him by the Cricket Board and justified his absence from the meeting held in Mumbai to select the squad.

“They sent me a letter asking me to brief the selectors before the meeting. I didn’t feel like it. The next day came the invitation. I didn’t go because I felt humiliated. It was too bad. Is this the way they treat cricketers?” an upset Kapil Dev asked. “This is not the first time the team has lost and this is just the beginning of our (Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar) assignment,” the world’s most successful Test bowler said.