Arjun Tendulkar was eagerly waiting to commence a new chapter in his Indian Premier League (IPL) career. After failing to play a match in 2025, the Mumbai Indians (MI) released Tendulkar, and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pounced on the opportunity.
The all-rounder knew at the back of his mind that he wouldn’t be getting many chances with Mohammed Shami, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, and Avesh Khan all better ahead in the pecking order as fast bowlers. But he made sure he was ready when the opportunity finally came.
Practice makes perfect for Arjun Tendulkar
The left-arm fast bowler swings the new ball but adds another skill to his arsenal. In the pre-season camp and during the matches, Arjun was constantly working on his yorker. The practice came in perfectly during his LSG debut against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Lucknow.
In the final match of the IPL 2026, LSG handed Arjun his debut cap. But he wasn’t given the new ball. Bowling in the middle overs, with his pace, 125-135, was going to be challenging unless he nailed his lines and lengths. In his first over, the 7th of the innings, Rishabh Pant drops a catch of his bowling as Prabhsimran Singh tried to pull him, but gloved it to the keeper instead.
Prabhsimran and Shreyas Iyer went after him in the 9th over, and the same continued in the 15th over. But on the final ball of his third over, he trapped the former in front of the wicket with a good yorker on middle and leg stump. Arjun returned for his final over and nailed yorker after yorker. He almost had Suryansh Shedge caught, and even Shreyas just about kept him out.
Arjun ended the innings as the most economical bowler of the day for LSG. Combining his hitting ability, Arjun can be a vital asset for the team going forward. Perhaps he should’ve tried him earlier in the season. But better late than never.
Arjun Tendulkar: List of IPL matches
| Match No. | Date | Match | Venue | Batsman Dismissed | Overs | Figures | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 4, 2023 | MI vs KKR | Mumbai | – | 2.0 | 0/17 | 8.50 |
| 2 | April 18, 2023 | MI vs SRH | Hyderabad | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 2.5 | 1/18 | 7.20 |
| 3 | April 22, 2023 | MI vs PBKS | Mumbai | Prabhsimran Singh | 3.0 | 1/48 | 16 |
| 4 | April 23, 2023 | MI vs GT | Ahmedabad | Wriddhiman Saha | 2.0 | 1/9 | 4.50 |
| 5 | May 17, 2024 | MI vs LSG | Mumbai | – | 2.2 | 0/22 | 9.40 |
| 6 | May 23, 2026 | LSG vs PBKS | Lucknow | Prabhsimran Singh | 4.0 | 1/36 | 9.00 |
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