- Shamser Khalid
Sachin and Arjun Tendulkar Share Statements on IPL Debut
Arjun Tendulkar, son of the cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar, made his debut for the Mumbai Indians team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match against the Kolkata Knight Riders. It was a proud moment for the entire Tendulkar family as Arjun had been a part of the MI squad since 2021, and finally earned his maiden cap.
Arjun, a 23-year-old left-arm seamer, had a decent start to his career, finishing with figures of 0 for 17 from two overs. He received his IPL cap from MI captain Rohit Sharma, and his sister Sara cheered him on from the stands. Stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav showed great faith in Arjun by giving him the new ball straight away.
Wishes poured in from all over the world as Arjun continued his father's legacy by playing his first game in MI colors. He bowled two overs and returned with the figures of 0/17 as MI registered a five-wicket victory against KKR.
In a video posted on IPL Twitter, Arjun shared his experience about playing his first match and receiving his maiden cap from skipper Rohit Sharma. He said, "It was a great moment. It's always special to play for the team I have supported since 2008. It was very nice to get the cap from the captain of MI and the Indian team."
Sachin's Statement on the Debut
Sachin Tendulkar, who watched the entire match inside the dressing room, could not hide his emotions and spoke about his thoughts while his son was playing. In a big confession, Sachin revealed that he had never watched his son play before.
He said, "This was a new experience for me because till now, I have not actually gone and watched him play. I just wanted him to have the freedom to go out and express himself and do whatever he wanted to."
Sachin added that he didn't want to distract his son from his plans, and it was an emotional experience for him as he recollected his 16-year association with the Mumbai Indians.
Sachin had played for the franchise from 2008 to 2013 and served as their mentor for the last ten years. During his time as a player though, he scored 2334 runs in 78 matches and won the Orange Cap in 2010 for striking 618 runs as MI finisher runner-up.
This was the first time that Sachin had watched his son play a competitive game, and he wanted Arjun to have the freedom to express himself and do whatever he wanted to do on the field.
Sachin Tendulkar and his son Arjun Tendulkar created history by becoming the first father-son duo to play in the Indian Premier League.
In addition to statements from the duo, former India teammates Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, and Sourav Ganguly all congratulated Sachin on the special moment.
Other Highlights from the Debut
Before the interview, Sachin had posted a touching message on Arjun's debut on social media.
During the match, there were also plenty of great moments that happened. It was a special day for MI as the match was witnessed by 19,000 young girls as part of the Education and Sports for All (ESA) Initiative.
Despite Venkatesh Iyer's sensational ton, KKR could only manage to set a target of 186 runs. However, Ishan Kishan, Surya, Tilak Varma, and Tim David led the charge for MI and chased down the target in just 17.4 overs, securing a rather comfortable win.
Overall, it was a momentous occasion for the Tendulkar family and the team. Arjun's debut has already created a buzz in the cricketing world, and fans can't wait to see what he has in store for the future.
