Arjun Tendulkar's Struggles as Opener in Vijay Hazare Trophy Raise Concerns

Arjun Tendulkar's Performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy

Goa's choice to elevate Arjun Tendulkar to the opening position in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has not yielded the desired outcomes, as the all-rounder has faced challenges at the top of the batting order.

In the match against Punjab, Arjun managed to last only eight balls, scoring just one run before being dismissed by Sukhdeep Bajwa. This marked his third consecutive match as an opener, continuing a streak of underwhelming performances. Earlier in the tournament, he scored 24 runs against Mumbai, followed by 8 against Uttarakhand and 19 against Sikkim.

His recent statistics highlight his struggles:

• Goa vs Uttarakhand: 8 runs, bowling figures 0/54


• Goa vs Mumbai: 24 runs, bowling figures 0/78


• Goa vs Sikkim: 19 runs, bowling figures 0/49


• Goa vs Himachal: 1* run, bowling figures 0/58

This situation has ignited discussions, especially following remarks from Yograj Singh, the father of former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh. Yograj contended that Arjun is receiving improper coaching, with an excessive focus on his bowling rather than his batting skills.

During an appearance on Ravishh Bisht's YouTube channel, Yograj shared his experiences with Arjun at his academy. He noted that the 25-year-old had not been afforded sufficient opportunities to bat prior to joining the camp. After a week of concentrated batting training, Arjun impressively scored a century on his Ranji Trophy debut.

Yograj expressed his concerns, stating, "They are concentrating on his bowling; I am unsure what the coaches are doing wrong. Fundamentally, he is a batter." He recounted an incident where he took Arjun to the hospital after a ball struck him, only for the young player to express his frustration about not getting enough chances to bat.

Additionally, Yograj disclosed that he had requested Arjun's previous Indian Premier League team, the Mumbai Indians, to let him open the innings in several matches, but this request was turned down. He described watching Arjun practice in the nets, hitting balls with remarkable skill, and insisted that the left-handed batsman resembles his father, Sachin Tendulkar, in his playing style.

Yograj concluded, "Even during his time with the Mumbai Indians, I had asked the management to allow him to open for a few games, but they did not heed my advice."