At the start of IPL 2026, former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin had delivered a harsh reality check to Arjun Tendulkar. Mincing no words, he had said that given the depth in Lucknow Super Giants’ fast-bowling unit, Arjun would not get a game at all.
And when Arjun finally made his debut on Saturday at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Ashwin admitted that it perfectly reflected how LSG’s season had unfolded. But more than the circumstances surrounding the debut, the former India spinner was left deeply impressed by the way Arjun handled the pressure after spending almost two months on the bench, while also praising his cricketing intelligence.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin acknowledged the difficult journey Arjun has had to endure due to constant comparisons with his father, Sachin Tendulkar. Yet, according to him, the performance against Punjab Kings reflected both his hard work in the nets and his mental toughness.
The left-arm pacer, making his LSG debut, finished with figures of 1 for 36 in four overs.
“I won’t talk about his skill. But his journey is not easy because he will always be compared to his father. However, I will say two things about him — he is extremely hard-working and does not back down from a contest. After bowling, he gives you a stare. Even if you hit him for a four or six, he comes back harder. Those are two qualities you have to give the kid credit for,” Ashwin said.
What stood out for Ashwin was Arjun’s awareness in identifying Prabhsimran Singh’ weakness against bodyline bowling. In his very first over, Arjun tested him with a sharp bouncer that produced a top edge, only for wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to put down the chance.
Prabhsimran and Shreyas Iyer counterattacked in Arjun’s next over, smashing him for two boundaries and a six. But the youngster refused to retreat. Even after Iyer hit him for back-to-back fours in his third over, Arjun responded brilliantly with a searing yorker that reversed in sharply to trap Prabhsimran plumb in front.
“That yorker actually reversed. I also saw videos on social media of him practising yorkers extensively. But the one thing that truly impressed me was the bodyline bouncer to Prabhsimran. That is never easy for a batter. There was a top edge and Pant could not hold on to the catch, but Arjun identified the weakness, executed the plan and then nailed the yorker as well. For someone playing his first game of the season, that was very impressive,” Ashwin added.
Reflecting on his earlier remarks before the season, Ashwin admitted that Arjun’s debut itself told the story of LSG’s disappointing campaign, but stressed that it should not take away from the youngster’s impressive outing.
“Look at the fast-bowling depth in the LSG squad, yet Arjun managed to get a debut game. That tells you the story of their season. Had things gone according to plan, he probably would not have played, and I said that at the start. But now that he has got his chance and proved himself, I hope he goes on to play more games,” he said.
It was not just Ashwin who was impressed. Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh also praised Arjun’s performance in a social media post after PBKS’ win.
“Great to see #ArjunTendulkar get a game, strike a critical wicket and bowl really well!” he wrote.
Arjun’s sister, Sara Tendulkar, also shared an emotional message, praising his patience and ability to deal with pressure.
“You deserve the world, my little brother. So, so, so proud of your hard work, your ability to handle pressure, and your patience through it all. Love you forever and always (and some more),” she wrote on Instagram.
Despite Arjun’s efforts, LSG lost the match, suffering their 10th defeat of the season to remain at the bottom of the table.
