"Sachin sahab was more nervous to watch his son bowl than the time he himself was batting" - Mohammad Kaif comments on Arjun Tendulkar's bowling
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has shared his views on Arjun Tendulkar's performance in IPL 2023. He heaped praise on the youngster and also pointed out how his father Sachin Tendulkar was watching the game nervously when his son came in to bowl.
Arjun made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians against Kolkata Knight Riders last Sunday. He remained wicketless on debut. In the next match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), captain Rohit Sharma entrusted him with the responsibility of defending 20 runs in the last over.
Arjun not only defended the target but also took his maiden IPL wicket, dismissing Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Speaking on Sportskeeda Cricket's Match Ki Baat Weekend Special, Mohammad Kaif spoke about Arjun's 20th over against SRH and said:
"Sachin sahab (Sachin Tendulkar) was more nervous to watch his son bowl than the time he himself was batting. He was in the dugout initially, but went up and sat for the last over because his son was bowling. I enjoyed the scene a lot."
When asked to share his opinion on Arjun Tendulkar's bowling performances in IPL 2023 so far, Kaif replied:
"He has looked good. The sample size is small, but it is good that the Mumbai Indians did not give him his debut cap so soon. He was with the squad for 2-3 years. Whenever you sign a young player, you want him to understand how things work, the team's system and the game plan."
"When they finally picked him for a match, he bowled well. His ball was swinging and shaping a bit. Not many left-arm pacers can do it. Bowlers like RP Singh and Zaheer Khan would swing the new ball well. His yorker execution was spot on in the final overs. Yes, his pace is 125-126 km/h now, but it will increase soon," he concluded.
"He has worked his way through" - Wasim Jaffer showers praise on Arjun Tendulkar for working hard
Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer, who was also present on the show, highlighted how Arjun Tendulkar worked hard in domestic cricket and age-group level tournaments and earned his place in the team instead of taking advantage of his last name.
Speaking about how playing with 'Tendulkar' surname would have put Arjun under more pressure, Jaffer said:
"He is a very hard-working boy. It is not like that he is Arjun Tendulkar, and so he got into it easily. He has worked his way through. He has played Ranji Trophy, U-19 and U-25 cricket. I do hope that he comes good. It is not easy to play cricket with 'Tendulkar' surname."
Arjun Tendulkar was in action against the Punjab Kings on Saturday, April 22, where he bowled an expensive spell of 1/48. It will be interesting to see if he retains his place in the playing XI for the next match against Gujarat Titans.