It was a proud moment for India’s leading batsman Sachin Tendulkar when his 11 year old son Arjun Tendulkar came to net practice with the Indian cricket team. No it didn’t happen yesterday. As a matter of fact, the net practice session took place in January of this year when India was gearing up for their third test match against South Africa in Cape Town.

The recent World Cup 2011 win for India and Sachin’s historical victory lap round Wankhede stadium in Mumbai with his children Arjun and Sara Tendulkar have made us resurface this hidden story to the public eye.

It was one of those rare times when a legendary batsman child is seen practicing with Team India. And it was after all Sachin Tendulkar, one of the leading icons of India as well the world whose son was batting at the net facing some of the best talent of the country!

It was overwhelming to see Arjun batting on crease and his father Sachin bowling. It would have been quite a delight to watch both father son duo on the same field for an international match. But Sachin will soon retire in a couple of years and Arjun Tendulkar still has many years to officially join the team!

Incidentally, Arjun is also a part time spinner just like spinner. He even bowled to Indian paceman S Sreesanth. Also, in the batting line was Virender Sehwag with whom Arjun played a couple of balls.
Future looks promising for this prodigal Tendulkar Junior. After all, it is not every day that you get a chance to attend a net practice session with Team India!

Arjun Tendulkar

Arjun Tendulkar at the mere age of 10 is experiencing tremendous pressure on his small shoulders whenever he lifts up the bat, no matter if it just to swat a fly! The point is as the son of legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar he is expected to pursue cricket as his future career and supposedly become a legend like his father himself. It is quite true that you might share the same interests and talent as your parents. But it has also been proved time and again that success of one generation doesn’t always have to be repeated by the succeeding generation. You can look at the example of previous Indian Cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar and the mediocre success tasted by his son Rohan Gavaskar.

The pressure is thus immense on Arjun to outshine his father even when he has shown inkling for cricket since his toddler years. One could find him yelling at the top of his lungs for his father during a match! Recently Arjun Tendulkar made headlines in January when he made his cricketing debut at the U-13 Cadency Trophy from MIGC Club in Pune. Although his team lost the cup, the kid showed the same spirit as witnessed in his father Sachin Tendulkar. On Sachin’s part one can observe that although he might have a desire to see his son follow his path, he doesn’t want to put pressure on the child so soon. Arjun has shown equal interest in Badminton sports as well and he gets regular coaching for cricket along with badminton at the behest of his father.

The future expands large in front of both father and son duo and it is only a matter of time when Arjun Tendulkar will face the real world to battle it out for his sake as well as his father’s sake!