By Martin Gough

Partly due to events, and partly by design, Zimbabwe's cricket bosses have finally got what they have been planning for - a black captain of the national team in Tatenda Taibu.

Typically of a wicket-keeper Taibu is bursting with confidence

The circumstances surrounding Heath Streak's retirement may never fully be made public, but all of 20-year-old Taibu's actions will be in the spotlight from now on.

When he takes the field in the first Test against Sri Lanka on 6 May he will be, at 20 years and 358 days, Test cricket's youngest ever skipper.

But since he was made vice-captain for last year's tour of England, Taibu has been marked out as the heir apparent.

Former Zimbabwe skipper and coach David Houghton believes Taibu was the natural choice.

YOUNGEST TEST CAPTAINS 21 years 77 days: Nawab of Pataudi Jr. (Ind) v WI, 1961-62 21 y 194 d: Ian Craig (Aus) v SA, 1957-58 22 y 15 d: Waqar Younis (Pak) v Zim, Karachi, 1993-94 22 y 83 d: Graeme Smith (SA) v Ban, Dhaka, 2003 22 y 260 d: Javed Miandad (Pak) v Aus, Karachi, 1979-80

Many candidates have already walked away from the team, complaining to varying extents about outside influences on selection.

Of the remaining senior players, including Grant Flower and Craig Wishart, Houghton told BBC Sport: "None of those guys, I would say, are qualified to captain a cricket team.

"Grant Flower has probably got the best cricket brain of any of those still playing but he's not a leader of people.

"After Heath Streak, there was no one else there capable of captaining the side. It was a natural thing to go to Tatenda."

Zimbabwe's stated "target" has been to have three black players in the team, although another aim, to have a black captain by the 2003 World Cup, was not met.

"For a long time they have been looking for future captains to be young black guys because the future of cricket in our country is going to be black people," says Houghton.

"There are 13 million of them and 20,000 whites so it would be silly to think the future would be any other way."

He's mature beyond his age and certainly beyond his size David Houghton

Taibu, who is just 5ft 4in in height, certainly has the personality to stand up to the pressures of captaincy.

Typically of a wicket-keeper he is bursting with confidence, naturally cheerful and never short of a word or two.

As a 16-year-old he was picked to tour West Indies while still studying at Harare's Churchill Boys High School.

Four years on, he has 54 one-day international caps - 15 more than England skipper Michael Vaughan - and has appeared in 14 Tests.

"I think he will fit into the role with no problem at all," Houghton says.

"He's mature beyond his age and certainly beyond his size.

"He's very serious about his cricket; he's a non-drinking, non-smoking fitness fanatic and he's very talented."

Speaking to BBC Sport last year, Taibu claimed he had no problem giving advice to players almost twice his age.

TAIBU FACTFILE Born: 14 May 1983 Tests: 14 Debut v WI at Bulawayo, 2001 599 runs at 23.96, high: 83 26 catches, 4 stumpings ODIs: 54 Debut v WI at Harare, 2001 640 runs at 22.06, high: 74* 48 catches, 3 stumpings

"The way I like looking at it is that on the field everyone is the same. That way you work better together," he said.

"If I've got something I think will help them then I will tell them. Even the younger guys in the side will tell older guys in practice if they see something wrong."

In fact, Houghton's main worry is that taking on the captaincy will affect Taibu's own form.

Recognised as the natural successor to Andy Flower behind the stumps, his form with the bat is only just beginning to match his potential.

Regularly in the last year it has taken a stand between Streak and Taibu to stabilise the side after a top-order collapse.

But still Houghton says: "He's better than what we're getting out of him and he would be the first to acknowledge that.

"He's good enough that he should be scoring hundreds already and he hasn't got that yet.

"I just hope the extra burden of captaincy doesn't delay the fulfilment of his potential any further."