Tatenda Taibu

Youngest Test captain:

Tatenda Taibu

Born: May 14, 1983, Harare

Current age: 27 years

Major teams: Namibia, Zimbabwe, Africa XI, Cape Cobras, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mashonaland, Mashonaland A, Mountaineers, Northerns (Zimbabwe), Southern Rocks

Batting style: Right-hand bat

Bowling style: Right-arm offbreak

Fielding position: Wicketkeeper

Test début: Zimbabwe v West Indies at Bulawayo, July 19-22, 2001

ODI début: Zimbabwe v West Indies at Harare, June 23, 2001

T20I début: Australia v Zimbabwe at Cape Town, September 12, 2007

First-class début: 1999/00

Barely five foot tall, Tatenda Taibu is a throwback to the traditional style of wicketkeeper, and his importance to Zimbabwean cricket was underlined when he was named as vice-captain for the tour of England in 2003, when only 19 years old.

Earmarked as the long-term successor to club colleague Andy Flower, Taibu was plucked from Churchill Boys High School to tour the West Indies in 1999-00, after impressing onlookers with his natural ability.

Three months later he was in England, on stand-by at Trent Bridge after injury put Flower’s dual role in doubt.He had yet to play domestic first-class cricket at this stage - his début for Mashonaland had to be put on hold after he turned up at the wrong ground - but he has toured South Africa with the Zimbabwe U-19s, and was one of Zimbabwe’s few bright spots in the 2003 World Cup and their tour to England later that year.

A promising batsman, albeit with a penchant for cross-batted strokes, he is steadily improving at Test and ODI level.

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