Tendulkar surname hangs heavy on young Arjun

A small news item in the website of India’s largest circulated English daily caught my attention the other day: Sachin Tendulkar’s son Arjun’s inclusion in the Mumbai under-14 team has raised charges of nepotism against the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the cherubic lad as this could be just the beginning of an ordeal that Tendulkar Jr may have to bear with should he choose to pursue a serious career in the game.

The report, deadpanned as it may be, throws up some figures which are difficult to refute. A section of the parents were unhappy that their sons’ performance was ignored to consider the boy with the most famous surname in contemporary cricket.

A left-hander, Arjun apparently had one century during the trials – that too in last May – while his next best was 70 as against some prolific scorers in the age group who failed to make the cut.

A glaring omission, and it’s obvious that his parents were behind instigating the story, was that of a Bhupen Lalwani of Don Bosco (Matunga) who scored 398 not out in the Giles Shield but still failed to impress the selectors. The report also throws up a couple of other aspiring schoolboy cricketers who were left in the cold, but then, it’s not the veracity of the report that’s under discussion here – it’s about the age-old plight of

being the son of a celebrated father in any sphere of life.

It’s very much a possibility that the selectors of the Mumbai under-14 team were influenced by Arjun’s surname, but then it could also be a chastening experience for the youngster. The team will be taking part in the West Zone league games in Ahmedabad from January 20-February 1 and it’s not difficult to gauge what advice Tendulkar Sr will have for him – that of going out and let his bat do the talking.

During his rare interviews over the last few years, the Little Master has opened up on a lot of things but somehow, has been spared by the media about his son’s progress as a cricketer. More than a decade back, one was privy to Sunil Gavaskar’s replies to the oft repeated question about his son Rohan’s chances of making the Indian team – he felt that it was upto the media to give an opinion on this rather than himself.

Now, Rohan was a decent enough cricketer who had captained Bengal and East Zone with distinction and played in a handful of ODIs, but he was no Sunil. Comparions, and odious ones, are bad enough to destroy the morale and it’s a matter of time before young Arjun goes through the same experience as well.

It will be fascinating to follow his career, for his dad too started young. But to be fair to him, the comparison should end there and we should let him be.