Reuters

New Delhi, Nov 8: Indian cricket selectors are faced with a tricky decision in naming a new test captain on Thursday after Sachin Tendulkar ruled himself out of serving a third term as skipper.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has emerged as the front-runner, two months after the wicketkeeper-batsman was made one-day captain following Rahul Dravid's abrupt decision to step down after the England tour.

Although the 26-year-old with a camera-friendly smile and confident swagger has caught the imagination of the nation, selectors were concerned that the test role could be a case of too much too soon.

Dhoni, who has played just 20 tests, was named one-day skipper even before he could serve out his apprenticeship, leading the triumphant Twenty20 World Cup team on debut.

Tendulkar's decision to turn down the captaincy on Tuesday, following two unsuccessful stints in the job, has caught India's cricket administration by surprise after they were fully expecting the master batsman to accept the role.

Whoever is selected faces a baptism of fire against a touring Pakistan side that begins a three-test series on Nov 22 before the team leaves for a full tour of Australia.

The selectors will meet during Thursday's second one-dayer in Mohali to name the test captain and the squad for the last three one-dayers against Pakistan.

Burdening Dhoni

Former skipper Ravi Shastri, chairman of the National Cricket Academy, has warned the board against burdening Dhoni with the test captaincy.

Former coach Madan Lal and former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar feel the job should go to 37-year-old leg spinner Anil Kumble, the third-highest test wicket-taker, who has 17 years of experience.

Few believe, however, the selectors will turn to former skipper Saurav Ganguly or experienced batsman Vangipurappu Laxman, who is respected like Kumble for his cricketing acumen.

Lal praised Dhoni for his confident start as one-day captain, in the 4-2 home series defeat against world champions Australia.

“The best thing to happen to him is winning the Twenty20,” he told Reuters. “He is bubbling with confidence. Nobody really knows why Tendulkar has refused. But he took up as test vice-captain (in England) which he shouldn't have.”

“But there is Kumble. The selectors should reward him with the captaincy. He will play all tests and his place is secured. He is a very underrated cricketer. We should give it to the person who has pride playing for the country and leading it.”

Former skipper and chief selector Ajit Wadekar said Tendulkar had always been reluctant because of the pressure as a batsman.

He felt Dhoni could prove the exception to the notion that wicketkeepers do not make good captains.

“The way he has conducted himself, even without experience he is doing a damn good job and led from the front,” he said.

“Why have split captaincy?” he asked. “It's better to look at the future.”