Table of Contents
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 auction is set to take place on Thursday (February 18) in Chennai. Ahead of the bidding process, many names are buzzing among fans, and one of them is of Arjun Tendulkar, the son of Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
Arjun has been spotted bowling to the Indian cricketers in a few net sessions. Recently, he played his first senior-level domestic cricket match by participating in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2021 for Mumbai.
Arjun picked up 1/34 in a match against Haryana, followed by another game against Puducherry, where he claimed 1/33.
For the IPL 2021 auctions, the 21-year-old has registered his name at a base price of INR 20 lakh. Arjun will be among the 814 Indian players up for grabs.
Let’s have a look at four such teams who can bid for Arjun:
1.) Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians (MI) is the most successful franchise in IPL history. They have won the prestigious IPL trophy for as many as four times. The biggest reason behind MI’s consistent performances over the years is the habit of investing and nurturing young talent.
From Hardik Pandya to Jasprit Bumrah, MI have always find the gems and prepared them as top-quality cricketers. Since the Mumbai-based franchise is a perfect place for aspiring cricketers, it would not be a surprise if they pick Arjun in the upcoming auctions.
Even during IPL 2020 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Arjun had joined the squad as a part of the net bowlers contingent.
2.) Kings XI Punjab
Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) did not have a good outing in the previous edition. For the sixth consecutive year, the Mohali-based franchise failed to book a place in the playoffs.
Ahead of IPL 2021 auction, KXIP have released star players like Glenn Maxwell, Karun Nair, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Sheldon Cottrell, and Jimmy Neesham.
During IPL 2020, KXIP went for U-19 talent Ravi Bishnoi, and the move worked like magic for them. The youngster impressed everyone by taking 12 wickets from 14 matches. The KL Rahul-led side might continue showing interest in youth and select Arjun for the fourteenth season of the cash-rich league.
3.) Royal Challengers Bangalore
After three consecutive poor seasons, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were in the playoffs in the IPL 2020. They finished as the fourth-best team in the tournament. Unlike the previous occasions, when only Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers used to perform, this time players like Devdutt Padikkal, Washington Sundar and Mohammed Siraj stepped up to contribute.
For the Challengers, pacer Siraj bowled exceptionally well, but he missed support from the other end, which might be the perfect opportunity for Arjun to make his debut. Being a left-arm quick, Arjun might turn out to be the suitable companion for Siraj.
In the company of Siraj, Navdeep Saini and Kane Richardson, Arjun can learn and improve his game which will help the Kohli-led side to outshine the opponents in IPL 2021.
4.) Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals (RR) finished the previous season at the bottom in the points table. Despite having some star players, the team captained by Steve Smith failed to impress their fans and supporters. Ahead of the upcoming bidding process, the Royals have released Smith and handed over leadership responsibility to Sanju Samson.
The move to make Sanju their new leader somehow gives an impression that RR wants to focus on investing in youth and Arjun can perfectly fit this scenario. During IPL 2020, the Royals bowling attack looked clueless, except Jofra Archer.
Ahead of the IPL 2021 auction, RR have released players like Ankit Rajpoot, Oshane Thomas, Akash Singh, Varun Aaron, Tom Curran, Anirudha Joshi and Shashank Singh. They even traded Robin Uthappa to Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Being a left-armer, Arjun would surely add a new dimension to Royals’ bowling unit, which would eventually help them in the upcoming season.
