Arjun Tendulkar, the son of the legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, has made his debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Mumbai Indians team, Sachin's old side. The 23-year-old all-rounder played his first IPL match against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium after playing a few top-flight matches in India and England. He scored a century and took three wickets in his first-class debut with Goa in December.
Arjun opened the bowling with Aussie Cameron Green for the Indians and nearly had two wickets in the first over of the match. He only bowled two overs, the first and the third, and finished with 0-17, but excited fans with some near-wickets from his first over. He did not get a chance to bat as the Indians comfortably chased down Kolkata's 6-185 inside 18 overs.
Sachin Tendulkar congratulated his son on his debut on Twitter, saying he has taken another important step in his journey as a cricketer. He expressed confidence that Arjun will continue to give the game the respect it deserves and that the game will love him back.
"Arjun, today you have taken another important step in your journey as a cricketer," Tendulkar tweeted.
"You have worked very hard to reach here, and I am sure you will continue to do so.
"This is the start of a beautiful journey. All the best!"
Arjun, today you have taken another important step in your journey as a cricketer. As your father, someone who loves you and is passionate about the game, I know you will continue to give the game the respect it deserves and the game will love you back. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/a0SVVW7EhT
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 16, 2023
Venkatesh Iyer led the Kolkata run tally with 104 off 51 balls, including nine sixes and six fours while Green finished with 1-20 off his two overs.
Cricket fans around the world had been eagerly anticipating the Indian Premier League (IPL) debut of Arjun Tendulkar ever since he was acquired by the Mumbai Indians at the IPL 2021 auction. Unfortunately, the left-arm seamer and batter missed the entire season due to injury concerns.
At the IPL 2022 auction, Mumbai Indians bought Arjun again for his base price, and he was eventually retained for the IPL 2023 season. Arjun has an impressive cricketing resume, having played seven Ranji Trophy games for Goa, where he picked up 12 wickets and scored a first-class century.
In 2019, Arjun flew to England to refine his skills and joined the MCC Young Cricketers. During his time in the domestic circuit, his standout performance was in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he claimed 10 wickets in seven matches.
Arjun's IPL debut finally arrived and after almost yielding two wickets in his first over, his future looks bright.
Despite being the son of the top run-scorer in test match history, Arjun is looking to carve out his own legacy in the sport. Fans are now excited to see how the young player performs in the IPL, and whether he can live up to his father's cricketing legacy.
