I'm enjoying captaincy: Tendulkar

NEW DELHI: Team India captaincy may have been a crown of thorn for Sachin Tendulkar but the Indian Premier League has been a completely different experience and the champion batsman says he is thoroughly enjoying skippering the Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Twenty20 extravaganza.

Tendulkar, who had two rather forgettable stints as Team India captain, said he was feeling good to be back at the helm.

"It has been good," Tendulkar told reporters , on the eve of the Mumbai side's crucial IPL encounter tomorrow at the Ferozeshah Kotla.

"I've enjoyed being out in the middle and it feels quite good as I'm leading after a long time," he said.

A groin injury kept him out of the first half of the IPL and former South Africa skipper Shaun Pollock stepped forward as the makeshift captain.

Finally back to the action, Tendulkar said the presence of two former international captains -- Pollock and Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya -- have made his job easier.

"With Shaun and Sanath's help, it has become easy. In fact all the players are thinking about solution to the various problems we face on the field and chipping in with ideas," Tendulkar said.

He also felt that his return to the side has lent more balance to the top order.

"I think the experience factor was lacking in the top order and Shaun and Sanath had too much responsibility on their shoulders. Now that I'm back, the responsibility got shared among us," he explained.