Arjun Tendulkar has been picked purely on skill basis: Mahela Jayawardene

Former India batsman Sachin Tendulkar’s son Arjun was sold to Mumbai Indians for Rs 20 lakhs during the IPL 2021 mini auctions on Thursday in Chennai. 

MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene has said that Arjun has been picked purely on skill basis but admitted that the youngster would have a “big tag” behind him.

"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," ESPNcricinfo quoted Jayawardene as saying.

The former Sri Lankan captain further said that it is going to be a learning curve for Arjun and he shouldn’t be put under any sort of pressure. 

"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.

"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.

MI bought Adam Milne for Rs. 3.2 crore, Nathan Coulter-Nile for Rs. 5 Cr, Piyush Chawla for Rs. 2.4 Cr, James Neesham for Rs 50 lakhs, Yudhvir Charak for Rs 20 lakhs, Marco Jansen for Rs 20 lakhs apart from Arjun.