'Certainly not a death over specialist...': Australia great's unsparing verdict on Arjun despite stellar final over

Arjun Tendulkar conceded only five runs off the final over to help MI secure an important win over SRH on Tuesday night.

Mumbai Indians pacer Arjun Tendulkar bowled an impressive final over of the innings to help secure a 14-run win for the side against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday night. Arjun, son of India's batting great Sachin Tendulkar, was tasked to defend 20 runs off the final over and the bowling all-rounder conceded five, while also taking his maiden Indian Premier League wicket on the penultimate delivery of the over when he dismissed Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Arjun Tendulkar (R) with Rohit Sharma(AP)

While Arjun was lauded by captain Rohit and a host of former cricketers on social media platforms, former Australia star Tom Moody – who has also coached in the IPL – stated that Arjun does lack certain attributes to be a consistent death-over bowler at the moment. Moody believes the 23-year-old youngster can be used efficiently in the middle-overs.

Talking to ESPNCricinfo following the game on Tuesday night, Moody said that the decision to hand the delivery to Arjun must have put both, the bowler and Rohit under “enormous pressure.”

"If you assess him purely on execution, he got it right. He got his line right, he bowled the side of the field that he was looking at, he got his length right, he got the number of deliveries close to yorker. It would've put him, as well as Rohit, in enormous pressure, because he (Rohit) wouldn't have been planning at the beginning of the innings that Arjun Tendulkar was going to be one of his death bowlers. He has clearly got a role in that side which is to bowl with a new ball, which he has done twice now.

“I see his role potentially in the middle overs somewhere, if the timing is right. But certainly not a specialist at death. Having said that, he can walk away with that performance holding his head held high. He had tail to bowl to, had 20 runs, but we have seen going that pear-shaped as well. So, he has done well,” Moody said.

Arjun had made his debut for MI last week against Kolkata Knight Riders, bowling two overs – both inside the Powerplay.