Yograj Singh Lauds Arjun Tendulkar's Batting Skills

Yograj Singh, a former Indian cricketer, has recently made headlines by praising Arjun Tendulkar, the son of cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar. He believes that Arjun's batting skills are criminally underrated, overshadowed by the focus on his bowling. Yograj argues that Arjun's true strength lies in his ability to bat, which deserves more attention from coaches and the cricketing fraternity.

During an interview, Yograj shared his experiences coaching Arjun at his training camp. He mentioned that Arjun spent about 12 to 13 days there, where he impressed everyone with his batting prowess. Yograj noted that while people were concentrating on Arjun’s bowling, he was actually a talented batsman. He expressed frustration over the lack of batting practice Arjun received and highlighted that Arjun batted like his father used to.

Yograj recounted a specific incident when Arjun was hit by a ball during training. Instead of letting him rest, Yograj encouraged Arjun to put on his pads and practice batting. To his surprise, Arjun hit boundaries consistently in the nets, showcasing his talent. This revelation led Yograj to question Arjun's coach about why he wasn’t getting more batting opportunities. He firmly believed that Arjun should be recognized as a high-quality batsman.

Despite his confidence in Arjun’s abilities, Yograj faced challenges in getting him the recognition he deserved. He approached the management of Mumbai Indians, Arjun's former IPL team, requesting that Arjun be allowed to open in a few matches. Unfortunately, his requests went unheeded. Yograj emphasized that Arjun had the potential to shine if given the right opportunities.

Arjun Tendulkar's current statistics show room for improvement, with an average of 21.37 in First-Class cricket and 13.50 in T20s. However, he made a mark by scoring a century on his Ranji Trophy debut against Rajasthan, an achievement that mirrored his father's early career. With two fifties in red-ball cricket, Arjun is gradually proving his worth as a batsman.

As Yograj Singh continues to advocate for Arjun, it raises a significant point about nurturing young talent in Indian cricket. The focus should not only be on bowling but also on recognizing and honing batting skills, especially for players with such rich cricketing heritage. With proper guidance and opportunities, Arjun Tendulkar could carve out his own legacy in the cricketing world.