In a crucial match between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad, Arjun Tendulkar, the young pacer, was given the responsibility of bowling the last over.
SRH needed 20 runs off the last over to secure a win but Arjun Tendulkar had other plans. The first ball of the over was bowled outside off which resulted in a dot ball.
The next ball was another wide outside off which Abdul Samad tried to hit for a late cut towards deep, but decided to take a second run which was a poor decision as he was run out.
Arjun Tendulkar bowled exceptionally well in the last over and took his maiden wicket of his IPL career when he dismissed Bhuvneshwar Kumar, caught by Rohit Sharma at cover. This was MI’s third win in a row.
As soon as Rohit took the catch, he pointed towards Arjun and ran towards him in celebration. This showed that Rohit had faith in the young pacer.
The father of Arjun Tendulkar, veteran cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, was seen celebrating in the pavilion after seeing his son’s economical and effective bowling performance.
Overall, it was a great performance by Arjun Tendulkar under pressure in his first real test. He helped Mumbai Indians secure a comfortable win by 14 runs. With this performance, Arjun Tendulkar has shown that he has the potential to be a great player in the future and has made his father and the entire MI team proud.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Sharma said, “Arjun is a hard-working boy, very humble, very disciplined. So he’s got all the attributes to make it big at the highest level. What we’ve seen of him is just the start, and I hope he keeps working hard, he keeps his head down, and if he does that, the future is bright for him.”
Sharma also acknowledged the pressure that Arjun faces being the son of Sachin Tendulkar and stated that the youngster is handling it well.
“It’s always going to be there when you have a big name to follow, but he’s doing well, he’s shaping well, he’s a hardworking boy, so he’s got all the attributes to become a good cricketer,” Sharma said.
Arjun’s selection in the MI squad had drawn criticism from some quarters, with many questioning whether he deserved to be in the team based on his performances in domestic cricket. However, Sharma backed the team’s decision to pick the youngster and stated that he has the potential to succeed at the highest level.
“I think it’s unfair to compare him with anyone. He’s just starting his journey, and he’s got a long way to go. The focus should be on him, how he’s going to shape up because eventually he’s going to represent the country,” Sharma said.
