'Arjun seems to have inherited Sachin's...': Gavaskar after Tendulkar jr. begins IPL career with a bang
Gavaskar, who was around when Sachin began his cricket back in the late 1980s and call it destiny or whatever, is present when Arjun took his first steps.
The past few days in the IPL 2023 have all been about one man – Arjun Tendulkar. Arjun, 23, has made as many – if not more – headlines than anyone else in the IPL, by first making his much-awaited debut for Mumbai Indians and then picking up his maiden wicket. Arjun, son of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, stirred the internet when he received his maiden cap from Rohit Sharma at the iconic Wankhede Stadium against Kolkata Knight Riders, and then raised his stocks by defending 20 runs off the final over against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
What was brilliant to see that in both matches, young Arjun did not fluster despite all the cameras being on him. Against KKR, he started the innings and ended with 2/17 in a debut that was applauded by one and all. Things only got better in the next game against SRH, where Arjun fared even better picking 1/18 from three overs and in the process getting off the mark in the IPL wickets tally. After giving away just 14 in his first two overs, Rohit showed faith in Arjun and handed him the ball to bowl the crucial 20th over and boy, did he deliver.
LSG - Total Match
- 111
- Total Runs
- 3284
- Highest Score
- 128 runs
PBKS - Total Match
- 115
- Total Runs
- 3127
- Highest Score
- 96 runs
KKR - Total Match
- 50
- Total Runs
- 1326
- Highest Score
- 104 runs
- Wickets
- 3
- Best Bowling
- 2/29
PBKS - Total Match
- 65
- Total Runs
- 29
- Highest Score
- 10 runs
- Wickets
- 76
- Best Bowling
- 5/32
PBKS - Total Match
- 260
- Total Runs
- 37
- Highest Score
- 8 runs
- Wickets
- 205
- Best Bowling
- 5/40
GT - Total Match
- 107
- Total Runs
- 3582
- Highest Score
- 124 runs
DC - Total Match
- 132
- Total Runs
- 4683
- Highest Score
- 132 runs
MI - Total Match
- 104
- Total Runs
- 83
- Highest Score
- 17 runs
- Wickets
- 121
- Best Bowling
- 4/18
RR - Total Match
- 35
- Total Runs
- 195
- Highest Score
- 27 runs
- Wickets
- 46
- Best Bowling
- 3/15
RCB - Total Match
- 12
- Total Runs
- -
- Highest Score
- -
- Wickets
- 12
- Best Bowling
- 3/24
GT - Total Match
- 93
- Total Runs
- 109
- Highest Score
- 14 runs
- Wickets
- 93
- Best Bowling
- 4/21
DC - Total Match
- 41
- Total Runs
- 105
- Highest Score
- 29 runs
- Wickets
- 51
- Best Bowling
- 4/15
RCB - Total Match
- 21
- Total Runs
- 653
- Highest Score
- 89 runs
SRH - Total Match
- 105
- Total Runs
- 2644
- Highest Score
- 99 runs
- Wickets
- -
- Best Bowling
- -
RCB - Total Match
- 40
- Total Runs
- 730
- Highest Score
- 49 runs
After the match, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar was one of the many to go ga-ga over Tendulkar jr.'s outing. Gavaskar is one of the very few people who was around when Sachin began his cricket back in the late 1980s and call it destiny or whatever, is present when Arjun took his first steps in top-flight cricket. Speaking on the Star Sports Cricket Live show, Gavaskar, the former India captain, couldn't help but make a really interesting remark about the father-son duo, highlighting a rather surreal similarity between the two.
Also Read: Arjun Tendulkar's reply exudes shades of his father as Shastri says 'you've gone one up on Sachin' post first IPL wicket
"Everybody talks about the amazing talent Sachin Tendulkar had at the start of his career. But it was his temperament that was absolutely amazing, and Arjun seems to have inherited that. He seems to be a shrewd thinker as well. It's always a good sign when a youngster is bowling the final over for the team and delivering," he said.
Arjun's final over exploits helped MI register their third win on the bounce as he along with youngsters Hrithik Shokeen and Cameron Green more than stepped up in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer, feels Aaron Finch.
"Everybody talks about the amazing talent Sachin Tendulkar had at the start of his career. But it was his temperament that was absolutely amazing, and Arjun seems to have inherited that. He seems to be a shrewd thinker as well. It's always a good sign when a youngster is bowling the final over for the team and delivering," mentioned the former Australia captain.