Arjun Tendulkar’s promotion to opener in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has backfired, with poor returns across matches. Goa’s bold experiment highlights his struggles at the top order, raising fresh concerns over his batting role and future prospects.
Goa’s decision to promote Arjun Tendulkar to open the innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has failed to deliver results, with the all‑rounder struggling to make an impact at the top of the order.
Against Punjab, Arjun lasted just eight deliveries, scoring a single run before being dismissed by Sukhdeep Bajwa. It was his third consecutive outing as an opener, continuing a run of modest scores. Earlier in the tournament, he managed 24 against Mumbai, followed by 8 against Uttarakhand and 19 against Sikkim.
His recent record reflects the difficulties:
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Goa vs Uttarakhand: 8 runs, bowling 0/54
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Goa vs Sikkim: 19 runs, bowling 0/49
Goa vs Himachal: 1* run, bowling 0/58
The experiment has sparked debate, particularly after comments from Yograj Singh, father of former India all‑rounder Yuvraj Singh. Yograj argued that Arjun is being coached incorrectly, with too much emphasis placed on his bowling rather than his batting.
Speaking on Ravishh Bisht’s YouTube channel, Yograj recounted his time with Arjun at his academy. He said the 25‑year‑old had not been given enough opportunities to bat before attending the camp. After a week of intensive batting practice, Arjun went on to score a century on his Ranji Trophy debut.
“They are focusing on his bowling; I don’t know what is wrong with the coaches. Basically, he is a batter,” Yograj said. He recalled taking Arjun to hospital after being struck by a ball, only for the youngster to insist he was rarely given the chance to bat.
Yograj also revealed he had asked Arjun’s former Indian Premier League franchise, Mumbai Indians, to allow him to open the innings in a few matches, but the request was denied. He described watching Arjun in the nets, hitting balls across the park, and insisted the left‑hander plays like his father, Sachin Tendulkar.
“Even when he was playing for Mumbai Indians, I had asked the management to make him open for a few games, but they didn’t listen,” Yograj added.
