Arjun Tendulkar- a Notable Beginning Under The Scrutinising Eyes Of Fans And Critics Alike!
Arjun Tendulkar bowled a superb final over versus SRH [Source: AP]
More than the number of runs scored or wickets taken, more than the number of big hits achieved during a PowerPlay and even more important than the eventual margin of a victory, T20 Cricket is all about handling pressure.
And frankly, the amount of pressure only increases manifold where it comes to the IPL.
Perhaps the most popular and widely followed T20 league around the world, the equation surrounding talents in the Indian Premier League is pretty much straightforward math.
You do well here, and you are labelled a capable performer worthy of competing anywhere around the world.
And with millions of eyeballs obsessively following every single delivery of an IPL encounter, every instance of failure of an athlete- whether or not big in relative outcome- is debated and even subjected to trolls.
The scrutiny is unsparing but at the same time, the accolades are far reaching.
Cricket, it could be said, might be the shadow of the IPL but hype is its constant companion.
Which is why Arjun Tendulkar, who is but two IPL games old in the cricket league India is obsessed about is so much in the news.
That’s when he did not win a man of the man performance. Nor did the lanky Mumbai Indians campaigner inspire a run riot the previous evening.
But what Arjun Tendulkar did do as seen in his Mumbai Indians’ most recent game against Sunrisers Hyderbad was very nearly the perfect demonstration of how to handle pressure and that too, in the contest’s most significant over.
It was the final over of IPL’s twenty fifth encounter.
The Sunrisers had to chase twenty off the very last over. It was a run chase where victory wasn’t quite assured but wasn’t way out of sight given the way some of Mumbai’s bowlers lapsed and strayed too far off the line as seen on a few occasions.
But there did come a chance in the very final over with the ball thrown to a cricketer who’s anything but IPL’s most valuable or experienced campaigner.
Arjun Tendulkar had his job cut out. Given the frontline big hitters of the class of Markram, Klaasen and even Tripathi had been dismissed, this wasn’t an opportunity to be binned.
On the contrary, it was an ideal chance to prove a statement.
And with delivering pitch perfect yorkers bowled a shade outside the off stump, the left arm medium pacer, who’s carefully honed his craft under the watchful eyes of Zahir Khan, soaked up the pressure.
Conceding merely 5 runs but most importantly taking a wicket off the penultimate delivery of his over, Arjun opened his account in the most famous T20 league with a bang.
You could sense the sheer euphoria on the face of his skipper Rohit Sharma who took the easiest of the catches at mid off.
Arjun didn’t put a foot wrong. Rather more importantly, it was at the back of a rising name in the IPL that MI were able to drill the final nail into Sunrisers’ coffin.
Off the field, for old times’ sake, Tendulkar had overcome Lara.
But on the field, it was Arjun’s moment.
All the prior experience that the Mumbai born cricketer has had in the IPL was basically accompanying his doting, world record holding father during match practices.
His tiny presence back in those picture perfect moments would be that of a cute, cuddly sidekick with Sachin always occupying the limelight.
This time, however, sans any support from the glorious Tendulkar, young Arjun was scripting his own moment.
A wicket in the column. Having played a part in his team’s successful 5 run victory over a significant opponent.
One reckons, other more glorious moments shall arrive.
The hype creators can write limericks about that moment where, as an example, Arjun will rush into bowl at Shubman Gill.
But for now, he must savour his effort and at the same time, be prepared to contribute to what’s about to come. And there’s plenty left in the bag.
 "Dev Tyagi")
![[Watch] Arjun Tendulkar's Training Regime Pays Off in MI's Victory Over SRH](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1681888708872_AP23108650368545.jpg "[Watch] Arjun Tendulkar's Training Regime Pays Off in MI's Victory Over SRH")