Tait's surprise decision comes just three days after Australia vice captain Adam Gilchrist announced his retirement.
As it is, he did not enjoy being made vice captain in the past, preferring instead to concentrate on his batting.
I've been there many times as a player and as a vice captain but I'm looking forward to being a captain.
Europe has won five of the last six installments of the biannual team competition, including a stunning comeback victory at the last meeting in Chicago last year, when McGinley was vice captain to Jose Maria Olazabal.
Peter de Villiers has made 10 changes, leaving captain John Smit, vice-captain Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez, Tendai Mtawarira and Juan Smith as the only survivors in the starting XV.
The West Indies Players Association (Wipa) had said its members were no longer prepared to play without contracts which led to 13 players pulling out of the series against Bangladesh, including regular captain Chris Gayle and vice-captain Denesh Ramdin.
Both Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and India vice-captain Rahul Dravid reacted angrily to the suggestions.
Liverpool's Steven Gerrard was handed the England captain's armband in Ferdinand's absence with Frank Lampard made vice-captain.
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When Shoaib Malik was appointed to succeed Inzamam-ul-Haq as captain, some senior members of the side wanted compensation with one of them being made vice-captain, but that job went instead to another youngster, Salman Butt.
Manchester United defender Gary Neville is on standby to captain England in the first match if Real Madrid refuse to release England skipper David Beckham and vice-captain Michael Owen.
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It was suggested the vice-captain deliberately played badly for financial gain in Saturday's defeat by Pakistan.
But Springboks vice-captain Victor Matfield said his team-mates needed to adapt to the referee's law interpretations.
Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel will compete for vice-captain Dhoni's place behind the stumps.
Sammy Clingan has been appointed the club's vice-captain, while Fotheringham's future with the club remains unclear.
The 25-year-old has also been appointed vice-captain following Laura Newton's retirement from international cricket.
On Tuesday, Australia vice-captain Adam Gilchrist admitted his side was already looking beyond the Ashes series.
Robinson took the decision to demote Ally Hogg to vice-captain after Blair's impressive leadership on Scotland duty.
Sangakkara had been vice-captain since 2006 and was long seen as the heir apparent of Mahela Jayawardene.
Europe vice-captain Sam Torrance called it "the most disgusting thing I have seen on a golf course".
Montgomerie will lead Europe for the first time after pipping 2008 vice-captain Jose Maria Olazabal to the role.
They will be led out in that match by Ferdinand, with Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard moving to vice-captain.
Michael Clarke has been appointed vice-captain while opening batsman Matthew Hayden has been included after overcoming an Achilles injury.
Vice-captain Michael Clarke will be the skipper in Sydney next week, with Usman Khawaja coming in for his Test debut.
However, Ponting is confident he has enough slow-bowling cover with leg-spinner Smith and vice-captain Michael Clarke, who has 21 Test wickets.
Misbah was also made vice-captain until the end of 2008 but the decision to axe Shoaib will attract the most attention.
Doctors have also removed shrapnel from the shoulder of vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara and from the arm of British assistant coach Paul Farbrace.
Prince was the vice-captain before he had to withdraw from the tour of Australia after breaking his thumb during a nets session.
While England come into this series with a clean bill of health, Australia's concerns about vice-captain Michael Clarke have failed to dissipate.
Worcestershire were led by vice-captain Daryl Mitchell after skipper Vikram Solanki announced his resignation on Thursday after a 241-run defeat by Glamorgan.
Rauluni, who led Fiji to the quarter-finals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, will be supported by the dynamic Tongan loose-forward Nili Latu as vice-captain.
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