After featuring in just five matches for Mumbai Indians in five seasons, Arjun Tendulkar is set to embark on a new journey with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Son of legendary Sachin Tendulkar, Arjun was traded to LSG ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction that took place in Abu Dhabi last December.
While Arjun and a few of his new teammates were early arrivals at the LSG camp, skipper Rishabh Pant joined got into business a bit late. Pant was immediately struck by Arjun's work ethics and expressed genuine awe at the latter's dedication as the duo gear up for the new season.
In a video shared by LSG on their social media handles, Pant approached Arjun by asking about the advantage of using heavier bats. Notably, both Arjun and Sachin prefer using heavier bats. “Tera kitna hae bhai (What's the weight of your bat)?” Pant asked Arjun at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
“1220”, replied the left-arm pacer. Reacting in an animated way, a curious Pant asked, “bhaari se kya faida hae (What's the advantage of using heavier bats)?” Arjun replied, “Touch karo ho jaata hae. Papa to 1310-1315 mein khelte the. 1200 se halka jaata nehi hoon main (Just a touch does it. My father used to play with bats weighing 1310-1315. I don't go below 1200).”
What struck Pant was Arjun's dedication for the game as the latter was down to business with former India cricketer and two-time World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh, the day after his wedding. Arjun got married to Saaniya Chandhok on March 5 in Mumbai.
While the pictures of Arjun training with Yuvraj didn't come out in public, the Tendulkar junior was mentored by the legendary figure. It is believed that Yuvraj worked with Arjun on the latter's batting. “Yuvi paa ke sath you were also practising. Yuvi paa ke sath full-time? shadi ke agle din hi? You are so enthu bhai (You were practicing full-time with Yuvraj the day after your wedding? Brother, you're so enthusiastic),” remarked Pant.
The duo finished with Pant's brotherly gesture to his new teammate. “Agar kuch lage to batana (If you need anything, just let me know). Always open for you,” Pant told Arjun before concluding.
Arjun Tendulkar's time with Mumbai Indians
Arjun was picked by Mumbai Indians in 2021 for his base price of ₹20 lakh. The left-arm pacer didn't get to play a game and was eventually ruled out due to an injury. The next year, Mumbai Indians once again bought Arjun for ₹30 lakh during the mega auction. Once again he didn't get a game as the franchise focused on his grooming.
In 2023, Arjun made his IPL debut against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium. He played four games that season, taking three wickets with his maiden scalp being then Sunrisers Hyderabad cricketer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He was retained by Mumbai Indians in 2024 and played just a single game against LSG, where he went wicketless.
After being released, Arjun was once again bought at the last moment during the IPL 2025 auction and didn't get a game. The 26-year-old was roped in by LSG for ₹30 lakhs from the Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2026.
LSG full squad for IPL 2026
Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Rishabh Pant (c), Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Akash Singh, Mohammed Shami, Arjun Tendulkar, Wanindu Hasaranga, Anrich Nortje, Mukul Choudhary, Naman Tiwari, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis