Dilip Vengsarkar was the most senior cricketer to be appointed captain?
(29 October 2002)

In a team fairly brimming with talent, Dilip Vengsarkar more than held his own. A middle-order stalwart like few other, the Mumbai batsman debuted four years after Sunil Gavaskar, and by the time he played his last Test, his career had spanned 116 Tests over 16 years.

Along the way, naturally enough, he picked up quite a few distinctions. Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1987, Vengsarkar especially dazzled at Lord's, scoring three centuries at the historic ground. But as a consequence of the wealth of talent present in the side at the same time, Vengsarkar had to wait for 96 Tests before being appointed captain.

This occurred during the West Indian tour of India in 1987-88, coinciding also with a stunning personal run of form for Vengsarkar. In the first Test at New Delhi, Vengsarkar made a responsible 102 in the second innings, a knock that in ordinary circumstances would have won India the Test. Except that a certain Viv Richards decided to belt the leather off the ball in racking up 109 off 111 balls, spurring West Indies to successfully chase 276 in the fourth innings.

Vengsarkar made 51 and 40 in the second Test at Bombay, and another 102 in the first innings at Calcutta before a Winston Davis snorter fractured his left hand and gave Ravi Shastri his only shot at captaincy in the final Test at Madras. Vengsarkar would go on to captain India in seven more Tests, ending with five losses, two wins and three draws.