Arjun Tendulkar gets maiden call-up to Mumbai U-16 squad
Sachin Tendulkar’s son Arjun has been selected for Mumbai Under-16 team that will play Vijay Merchant Trophy’s opening match starting from December 1 in Baroda. He has been selected as an allrounder in the 15-member squad, based on his performances in the recently concluded Payyade Trophy.
Though Arjun has previously played for the U-14 team, this is the first time he has been selected for the U-16 squad. According to a report in The Indian Express, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) joint secretary PV Shetty said, “He (Arjun) did well in the selection trials as well as the Kanga league. The selectors have picked him as an all-rounder.”
Tendulkar junior did not play the first two matches of the Payyade Trophy but proved his skills in the match between Sunil Gavaskar XI and Rohit Sharma XI. He scored a ton in the first innings and then claimed four wickets to set up an outright win for Sunil Gavaskar XI against Rohit Sharma XI. He scored 106 runs from 156 balls and used his medium pace to bag four wickets.
Told that Arjun scored his first century this week: Zaheer
Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan has seen Arjun bowl in the nets when he used to accompany the Master Blaster in tours. Zak does not believe that being the son of Sachin Tendulkar will be a huge pressure on Arjun. He said, “He is working hard. He is good with bat and ball. I’m told that he scored his first century this week. The pressure will be there but ultimately what he can do on the field will matter most,” he said.
The 37-year-old also feels that while judging youngsters, skill is all that matters, not age. “If someone is good enough and performing well, then they should use this platform to judge them. As a youngster you should use this platform to get noticed,” he added.
Unlike Arjun, Zaheer himself was never part of any age-group junior side. He straight got his break in the Baroda Ranji Trophy senior team. However, the former cricketer feels it is better to start early. Khan said, “It’s hard to perform in any selection trials. Luckily, I was never part of an under-16 team. I started my cricket very late but at times the earlier you start the better it is.”