Arjun Tendulkar has spoken about his admiration for Yuvraj Singh, one of India’s heroes from the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. As he looks to carve out his own path in the IPL, Arjun begins a new chapter with Lucknow Super Giants after making the move from Mumbai Indians, where his father Sachin Tendulkar acts as a mentor.
Arjun was first picked up by Mumbai in the 2021 mini-auction for INR 20 lakh but did not get a game that season. The franchise showed faith again in 2022, signing him for INR 30 lakh, though he had to wait until 2023 to make his debut, eventually featuring in four matches. He was retained once more in 2025 but did not get an opportunity that year, and ahead of the current season, he was traded to Lucknow in search of more chances at the top level.
Ahead of the new season, Arjun appeared on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, where he was asked to name his cricketing idol apart from his father, Sachin Tendulkar. He didn’t hesitate in picking Yuvraj Singh, and when asked what stood out in him, the young all-rounder’s reply was instant: “Obviously his batting, what else?” Asked if he also admired Yuvraj’s bowling, Arjun replied, “He was a spinner, I am a pacer.”
Yuvraj mentors young Indian talent
Yuvraj has also been guiding several players in recent years. During the COVID-19 break, he worked closely with Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma, helping them fine-tune their game. With Abhishek, in particular, he spent long hours expanding his range, and the left-hander has since made a strong mark, even climbing to the top of the ICC T20I batting rankings. Sanju Samson also turned to Yuvraj during a lean patch before a World Cup, spending time working on his approach. Ahead of the upcoming seasson Rishabh Pant has taken a similar route, trained with him.
Meanwhile, Arjun has also been seen training with Yuvraj in the past. He revealed that he has worked on his backlift ahead of the season.
At LSG, Arjun faces a fresh test after a low-key run with Mumbai Indians, expectations around him are higher this time. All eyes will be on whether he finds a place in the playing XI for the season opener against Delhi Capitals on April 1 at the Ekana Stadium, a game that could set the tone for his campaign.
