Arjun Tendulkar has more than one thing in common with Sachin Tendulkar. In December 2022, he joined his father in an elusive club by scoring a century on his Ranji Trophy debut. Earlier this month, Arjun, 26, got hitched, whereas Sachin was 22 when he married Anjali in 1996. And now, another interesting trivia ties the father-son cricketing duo as Arjun gets ready for a brand-new season of the Indian Premier League, where he will be representing the Lucknow Super Giants. After spending two seasons with MI, playing five matches, Arjun is set to embark on a fresh chapter in his career, having been picked by the franchise at the auction for ₹30 lakh.
Arjun and captain Rishabh Pant caught up during one of LSG’s training camps ahead of IPL 2026, striking up an easy camaraderie. Pant reassured the youngster that he would be there for him whenever needed, a gesture that summed up the warmth between the two. He also praised Arjun’s dedication for linking up with Yuvraj Singh to prepare for the season just a day after his wedding. However, it was Arjun’s revelation about his bat weight that left Pant stunned – he uses a bat nearly 500 grams heavier than Pant’s.
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“1220 gms,” said Arjun, leaving Pant surprised. When Pant asked what the advantage of playing with a heavy bat was, Arjun replied, “It flies even when you touch it. Dad used to play with 1310-1315. I don’t go below 1200.”
Like father, like son
Arjun’s confession brings back memories. Throughout his legendary career, the great Sachin Tendulkar was known to use a bat heavier than most of his contemporaries. However, contrary to popular belief, he never significantly reduced its weight, although he did alter its shape over time. As his career progressed and power gave way to timing and precision, Tendulkar’s bat evolved as well, becoming more curved. This allowed him to rely more on timing rather than brute force.
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In his autobiography, Playing It My Way, Tendulkar wrote that he never quite liked using a lighter bat, despite suggestions from his coaches. He began playing with a heavier bat at the age of 11, often using his brother Ajit’s bat, making his grip more bottom-heavy.
“I used a pretty heavy bat, and I was sometimes encouraged to move to a lighter one. Again, I did try, but I never felt comfortable, as my whole bat swing depended on that weight. When I was hitting a drive, I needed the weight to generate the power. It was all to do with the timing,” wrote Tendulkar.
“To me, the bat should be an extension of your arm, and if you’ve reached the stage where it’s become an extension of your arm, why do you need to change? What mattered to me most when I was batting was feeling comfortable. As long as I felt comfortable, it didn’t matter where I was playing or who I was playing against. If you make technical adjustments, such as moving to a lighter bat, to cope with different conditions, there’s a risk of making yourself feel uncomfortable and of thinking too much about your technique.”
