Pacer Arjun Tendulkar, son of legendary India batter Sachin, picked up his maiden wicket in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday.
Arjun, representing Mumbai Indians, dismissed Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar off the last ball of the game to hand his side a 14-run victory. He finished with figures of 2.5-0-18-1.
With 20 to defend off the final over, Rohit threw the ball to Arjun, who made his IPL debut against the Kolkata Knight Riders on April 16. Arjun, however, handled the pressure well, looking to pitch the ball outside the right-handed batter’s hitting arc from the very first delivery. With Abdul Samad falling short of his crease off the second ball, the target suddenly seemed too big for Hyderabad to get to.
Arjun finally claimed a scalp off the fifth ball of the over, when he pitched one fuller and the bat turned in Bhuvneshwar’s hands. The ball lobbed up for Rohit to take a regulation catch at cover.
Rohit, who had shown faith in the inexperienced 23-year-old, ran up to him to celebrate the dismissal. The Mumbai dugout could be collectively seen congratulating Sachin.
“I just had to focus on what was in hand, the plan and executing it. Our plan was just to bowl wide and make the batter target the longer boundaries. I am happy to bowl every time the captain asks me to,” Arjun told the commentators after the game.
On being asked about the conversations he has had with his father in the lead-up to the game, Arjun said, “We talked about cricket, discussed tactics before the game and he tells me to back what I practise every game. I just focused on my release, bowling good lengths and lines upfront.”
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