Arjun Tendulkar warmed up for the upcoming first-class season with a match-winning nine-wicket haul in Goa’s innings and 189-run victory over hosts Karnataka in the Dr (Capt) K Thimmappiah Memorial Tournament, which is also known as KSCA Invitational, a pre-season meet for state teams. KSCA XI comprised mostly their U-19 and U-23 players with only two established names — Nikin Jose and glovesman Sharath Srinivas — in the playing XI.

The legendary Sachin Tendulkar‘s son had a match haul of 9 for 87 in 26.3 overs across two innings. In the first innings, Karnataka folded for 103 in 36.5 overs with Tendulkar junior taking 5/41 in 13 overs.

In reply, Goa posted a solid 413 as Abhinav Tejrana (109) scored a hundred and Manthan Khutkar contributed 69.

In the second innings, KSCA XI were a shade better, being shot out for 121 in 30.4 overs with Arjun grabbing 4 for 46 in 13.3 overs.

Arjun, who will turn 25 next week, has so far played 49 competitive games across three formats at senior level and picked 68 wickets. In 13 first-class games, he has taken 21 wickets. 

Sachin Tendulkar’s son Arjun had earlier trained under former India player Yogra Singh, who is the father of Yuvraj.  

“Arjun Tendulkar came to you for training. How do you see his future?” Yograj was asked in an interview. 

“Have you seen diamond in a coal mine? Woh Koyla hi hai..nikalo patthar hi hai, kisi tarashgir ke haath me dalo to chamak ke duniya ko kohinoor ban jata hai (It is coal that is rock when taken out from a mine, but if it is given in proper hands, it goes on to become Kohinoor. It is priceless. But if that same diamond reaches a person who does not know its worth, he destroys it. I don’t say it myself that Yograj Singh is a  great character, Yuvraj Singh says it, ‘there is magic in my dad’s hand, he made me what I am.’ Earlier, I was abused ‘Hitler, Dragon Singh, I hate my father’. Everybody hated me in my home. My relatives said, I should not have been a father,” Yograj Singh replied. 

“But he walked his path. And by God’s Grace you got Yuvraj Singh.”