The Mumbai Indians team, five-time champions of the Indian Premier League, has been struggling in the ongoing season of IPL 2023, facing back-to-back defeats in their opening matches. With a relatively inexperienced bowling attack lacking the sting of previous seasons, the team management is looking for fresh talent to strengthen their campaign. Among the highly anticipated young players is Arjun Tendulkar, son of the legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
Arjun Tendulkar’s Cricketing Career
Arjun Tendulkar was born with cricket in his blood and started playing at an early age. He made his India U19 debut in 2018 and later played for the Mumbai cricket team during the 2020/21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In the recently concluded Ranji Trophy season, he played for Goa and scored a century on his debut against Rajasthan, proving his mettle as a left-handed batsman and a fast bowler.
Despite being picked by Mumbai Indians in 2021 for his base price of INR 20 lakhs and in 2022 for INR 30 lakhs, Arjun is yet to make his debut in the IPL competition. However, he has been a part of the Mumbai Indians squad since last year.
Arjun Tendulkar’s Potential Debut in IPL 2023
The Mumbai Indians’ loss to Chennai Super Kings in their recent match at Wankhede Stadium has upset both fans and cricket experts alike. With an inexperienced bowling attack failing to defend a below-par score, many are calling for the inclusion of talented youngsters like Arjun Tendulkar. However, in that match, Arshad Khan was preferred over Arjun Tendulkar.
Fans are disappointed with the team selection and unable to comprehend why the management has refused to give Arjun Tendulkar a chance despite his impressive track record. The speculation of his possible debut gained steam after he was named among the five impact players for MI’s last two matches but was not selected as a substitute.
Fans’ Expectations and Team Management’s Perspective
The fan-base of Mumbai Indians is huge and passionate; they are eagerly waiting for Arjun Tendulkar’s debut in IPL 2023. The expectation for him in the team is very high, considering he has been training under some of the best coaches and playing alongside stalwarts of the game.
However, on the other hand, coach Mark Boucher has stated that though Arjun is coming back from an injury, he might soon get his debut due to the new impact rule. In terms of his contributions to the team, Arjun can offer far more than just being a fast bowler. His left-hand batting abilities make him a valuable asset in the middle or towards the tail-end of Mumbai Indian’s innings.
Mumbai Indian Fans Demand Arjun’s Debut
Twitterati reacted sharply to Arjun Tendulkar’s nonselection in MI’s recent match against Chennai Super Kings. Fans expressed their disappointment with team selection and questioned why a young and inexperienced Arshad Khan was preferred over Arjun Tendulkar. Many also suggested that Mumbai Indians need to bring in fresh talent like Arjun to bring life back into their campaign.
With Mumbai Indians set to face Kolkata Knight Riders on April 16, fans are hopeful that this might be Arjun Tendulkar’s chance to make his much-awaited debut in IPL 2023. While Team management will have to carefully consider fans’ expectations and criticism surrounding team selection, it remains uncertain whether they will take this opportunity to introduce Arjun Tendulkar to the world-famous tournament.
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