Arjun Tendulkar
Arjun Tendulkar. Image-Twitter.

Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has said that the four-time champions selected Arjun Tendulkar purely on the basis of his skills.

Arjun, son of Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, is a seam-bowling all-rounder, was picked by the Mumbai Indians at his base price of Rs 20 Lakh in the IPL 2021 Auction.

Arjun Tendulkar
Arjun Tendulkar. Image Credits: Twitter

Arjun Tendulkar was a net bowler for the Mumbai Indians in the last season of the IPL. Being a son of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar means that Arjun will always be judged on the benchmark set by his father but Mahela Jayawardene reckoned that it’s a good thing that unlike his father, Arjun is a seamer.

The three-time IPL-winning coach hailed Arjun as a very focussed man and he is confident that the youngster will evolve with time.

“We’ve looked at it purely on a skill basis. I mean, there is going to be a big tag on his head because of Sachin. But, luckily, he’s a bowler, not a batsman. So I think Sachin will be very proud if he could bowl like Arjun,” Mahela Jayawardene was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

“I think it’s going to be a learning process for Arjun. He just started playing for Mumbai, and now the franchise. He will learn the ropes; he will evolve. He’s still young. A very focused young man,” he further said.

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Mahela Jayawardene called for fans to be patient with Arjun Tendulkar, adding that one should allow him to evolve and not put undue pressure on him.

“We have to give him time and hopefully not put a lot of pressure on him either. Just let him evolve and work his way up, and that’s what we’re there to help him to do,” Jayawardene added.

 

‘He is a hardworking kid’- Zaheer Khan on Arjun Tendulkar

Arjun Tendulkar
Arjun Tendulkar (Image Credits: Twitter)

Meanwhile, MI Director of Cricket Operations, Zaheer Khan said that Arjun is a hardworking kid, who is keen on learning.
He further added that Arjun needs to embrace the pressure that comes with him being the son of Sachin, adding that it will help him become a good cricketer. The former Indian pacer also reckoned that the calm environment in the Mumbai Indians dressing room will help him evolve.

“I have spent a lot of time in the nets, trying to teach him some tricks of the trade, he is a hardworking kid, he is keen on learning, it is an exciting part. The added pressure of being Sachin Tendulkar’s son will always be on him, it is something he needs to live with, the environment of the team will help him. It will help him become a good cricketer, how many times a youngster gets picked in the auction and everyone is talking about him, he has to prove himself and he has to show everyone he has the goods,” said Zaheer Khan.

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