Arjun Tendulkar made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut for Mumbai Indians (MI) against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Sunday (April 16). It was a historic moment for both Arjun Tendulkar and Sachin Tendulkar as they became the first father-son duo to have featured in the cash-rich league. Arjun couldn't have more grand IPL debut as he ended on a winning side after beating KKR by five wickets. On his special debut Arjun returned with a bowling figure of 2-0-17-0. MI didn't require the star all-rounder to bat as the five-time champions won the match with five wickets to spare riding on Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav's splendid knocks.
Talking about the senior Tendulkar, the Master Blaster in a total of 78 IPL matches for MI, amassed 2334 runs between 2008 and 2013. He also led the Paltans 51 matches in which he notched 30 victories and 21 defeats.
It was a proud moment for the senior Tendulkar to see his son making his much awaited debut who spent his time in the sidelines and warmed the benches for past two seasons with the five-time champions franchise. The 23-year-old finally had an opportunity to showcase his mettle in the world’s biggest T20 league.
Meanwhile, super proud dad took to Twitter to congratulate his son for taking an important step in his journey as a cricketer.
“Arjun, today you have taken another important step in your journey as a cricketer. As your father, someone who loves you and is passionate about the game, I know you will continue to give the game the respect it deserves and the game will love you back. You have worked very hard to reach here, and I am sure you will continue to do so. This is the start of a beautiful journey. All the best!,” Sachin tweeted.
Here's the tweet
Son of the legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar, Arjun was bought by the franchise during the IPL 2023 auction for his base price of Rs 20 Lakh, before costing Rs 30 Lakh during the IPL 2023 mega auction. Despite his presence in the squad for two seasons, Arjun wasn't handed his debut cap until Sunday.
What made this moment even more special is the connection that the young all-rounder has with the Wankhede. It was the same stadium in which he saw his father lift the ODI World Cup in 2011, and on Sunday, became the first-ever father-son pair to have played in the IPL, with both having made their appearances for MI. Sachin last appeared in the league in 2013.
Ahead of the toss, Arjun was seen having an intense conversation with his father Sachin, who has long been associated with the franchise, first as a player and now as a mentor.
Meanwhile, there were other cricketers who wished Arjun on his special IPL debut. Let's have a look at them.
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