5 brave captaincy decisions that altered the course of the tournament

#2. Azharuddin promoting Sachin to open the batting

Sachin first opened the batting in Auckland in 1994

Sachin Tendulkar started his ODI career at number 4 and played his initial innings in the middle order. He didn't get a chance to open the innings for almost 70-odd matches. It was an injury to the team's regular opener Navjot Singh Sidhu which prompted the then-captain Azhar to take a gamble.

Sachin was longing for an opportunity to play higher up the order and Azharrudin to felt that a talent like Sachin was being wasted down the order. Sidhu's injury provided the captain an ideal opportunity to try Sachin at the top. The promotion of Sachin up the order took place in 1994 in a match against New Zealand in Auckland.

This move not only changed India's fortunes and Sachin's career but it also changed the way cricket was played at that time. Sachin had struggled in International cricket till then, not scoring a single century.

He scored his first ODI century in his 79th ODI match, within a few matches after his promotion to the opening position.

This move has great importance in the history of cricket and in Sachin's career as well.