‘Arjun can bowl at 140 kph if…’: Brett Lee’s make-or-break advice for under-fire Tendulkar junior

A Tendulkar has become the toast of the nation (again). The senior, Sachin, who completed his most significant half-century on Sunday, last played competitive cricket a decade back. But the Tendulkar that has caught the attention of world cricket is his son, Arjun, who ended his long wait for an IPL debut on April 16, at the very venue where Sachin played his last international match, donning the jersey for the only team Sachin ever played for. And in three appearances thus far, Arjun has managed to impress pace legend Brett Lee, who was "all praise" for his all-round bowling ability in T20 cricket.

In the first game of his career, against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium, Arjun bowled the first and the third over. He returned with 2-0-17-0. His role remained the same in the next match as well when MI travelled to Hyderabad to take on SRH, where he gave away 14 runs with the new ball. But with Sunrisers digging deep in the chase, captain Rohit Sharma had to rely on Arjun for the final over after he had exhausted his options.

It wasn't the toughest last over as most have been in IPL 2023 with SRH requiring 20 runs with two wickets in hand and Abdul Samad being the only hope alive. But as Lee explained, it eventually was a "great experience" for the 23-year-old who held his nerves to concede just four runs while picking his maiden IPL wicket to help MI win the match, as was the 31-run over against Punjab Kings where Sam Curran and Harpreet Singh hit him all around the park.

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"When he was given the responsibility of bowling at the death the other evening, when he closed out the game and won the match for the Mumbai Indians, whichever way it went, I knew it would have been a great experience. What I mean is that he has been thrown into the deep end and that has been great for him. So he is learning as he goes. And like in the other evening when he got hit for a few runs, that is fine. It happens in T20 cricket and I keep reiterating to bowlers that in this format there will be games when bowlers go the journey. It has happened to me so many times. So you have to take the emotion out of it," Lee, IPL Expert on JioCinema, said in response to a Hindustan Times query.

In three matches so far, Arjun has picked two wickets, including that of PBKS' Prabhsimran Singh with a toe-crushing yorker, at an economy rate of 10.6. After showing his abilities with the old and new ball in the first two games, Rohit had tested Arjun in the middle overs as well and Lee has been left "super impressed" with the left-armer's performance in IPL 2023.

"I think he can do all facets," he said when asked which is a more suitable bowling phase for Arjun in the MI set-up. "The thing with Arjun Tendulkar is I have been super impressed. I feel he has been in wonderful fine form for the Mumbai Indians. His new-ball bowling is outstanding, he is swinging the ball, he is getting the most swing out of the Mumbai Indians. He is well-suited for the middle overs and with experience he will enjoy bowling at the death overs. I am all praise for him."

While Arjun has been the cynosure of social media during all his three appearances for MI, he was shown no mercy by the fans when an IPL graphic revealed '107.2 kmph' as his bowling speed during the SRH game.

The former Australian cricketer, condemning the criticism, advised Tendulkar junior to take a leaf out of Sachin's career and not pay attention to the outside noise.

"People criticise almost everything. If you look at Sandeep Sharma, he has been bowling at 120 kph. Arjun is at least bowling way faster than that. He is only 23 years of age and he has got his whole career ahead of him. My advice will be don't listen to critics. Like his dad had to go through like he misses out and gets a low score...you got to back yourself. He has got some wonderful skills. He can bowl at 140 kph so as soon as he gets comfortable bowling in the team environment, in front of the big lights and big crowd, his pace will increase. I see no issue with his pace. I know how fast he can bowl. He has got all the talent and all the right attributes. So my advice would be tokeep doing what you have been doing and don't listen to those people who are trying to have a go at him because remember most people who will criticise on social media have never bowled a ball in their life. They are keyboard warriors," he said.