R Ashwin Delivers Big Verdict On Arjun Tendulkar, Mentions Sachin Tendulkar: "Not Easy"

Former Indian cricket team spinner R Ashwin praised Arjun Tendulkar for his grit and determination after his IPL 2026 debut for Lucknow Super Giants during the match against Punjab Kings on Saturday. Although LSG slumped to yet another loss, Arjun finished with figures of 1/36 in 4 overs and even took the wicket of Prabhsimran Singh. Ashwin was left impressed with how Arjun handled pressure despite not plaing for nearly two months and also lauded his cricketing intelligence. He even pointed out that comparisons with his father - Sachin Tendulkar - has been a regular thing in Arjun's life before adding that his performance against Punjab Kings truly showed his hard work in the nets. “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 on YouTube.

“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.

Ashwin earlier predicted that Arjun will not receive any chances this season considering the pace bowling depth in the LSG squad. Reflecting on his earlier comments, Ashwin said that this was the 'story' of LSG's disappointing campaign.

“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.

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Topics mentioned in this article

Arjun Tendulkar Ravichandran Ashwin Punjab Kings Lucknow Super Giants Prabhsimran Singh IPL 2026 Cricket