While Sachin penned a heartwarming note after his son Arjun made his IPL debut, Arjun’s sister Sara took to Instagram and posted an emotional post.
“Happiest sister today,” Arjun’s sister Sara Tendulkar wrote on her Instagram stories.
Sachin and Arjun have become the first father-son duo to participate in the IPL. Sachin captained the Mumbai Indians when the league first started and has been an integral part of the MI coaching team since his retirement from the game. The Master Blaster played 6 seasons of the IPL, from 2008 to 2013.
On Sunday, a visibly proud Sachin was in the MI dugout as Arjun, a 23 year old bowling all-rounder, made his IPL debut. MI had picked Arjun in the player auction in February 2022 for Rs 30 lakh.
Opening the bowling for MI on Sunday vs KKR, the left-arm seamer conceded five runs in his first over. He made a strong appeal for lbw against Jagadeesan but was turned down by the umpire as it looked like the ball would go over the stumps.
In his second over, he was driven off the backfoot for a boundary by KKR’s Venkatesh Iyer, who then smacked the next delivery for a slightly mis-hit six over wide long-on.
Eventually, Arjun returned figures of 0/17 in a match that ended with Mumbai emerging victorious by five wickets, despite KKR’s Venkatesh Iyer becoming the second centurion of the season, after SRH’s Harry Brook.
Arjun received his cap from MI captain Rohit Sharma.
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“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,” tweeted Tendulkar along with photos of himself with Arjun and Arjun playing the IPL game on Sunday.
“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,” he added.
The 23-year-old Arjun has been with Mumbai Indians for the last couple of years. He was picked in the auction in 2021 but had to withdraw due to an injury. He was again picked in the 2022 mega auction, but did not get to play a single match last year.
Arjun, who has played age-group cricket for Mumbai and made his T20 debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2020-21 had last year joined the Goa team and made his Ranji Trophy debut for them against Rajasthan in an Elite Division match at Porvorim in December 2022.
So far, Arjun has played 7 First Class matches, scoring 223 runs and taking 12 wickets. In List A cricket too he has so far played 7 matches. He has batted in 3 innings and scored 25 runs and taken 8 wickets. In T20 cricket, the 13 year old has played 10 matches, scoring 20 runs in 5 innings and has taken 12 wickets.
