All-rounder Arjun Tendulkar made his Ranji Trophy debut in the Elite Group C match against Rajasthan at the Goa Cricket Association Academy Ground in Porvorim on Tuesday, December 13.
Arjun, who shifted to Goa earlier this year after not getting enough chances to represent Mumbai, shined with the bat in his maiden innings, smashing a brilliant century. The 23-year-old walked in to bat at number 7 and reached the triple-figure score off 178 deliveries.
With the century, Arjun also replicated his father Sachin Tendulkar‘s feat of scoring a century on a first-class debut. Exactly 34 years ago, Sachin had also smashed a ton on his Ranji Trophy debut against Gujarat at the Wankhede Stadium.
11 December 1988 – Sachin Tendulkar scores a century on Ranji Trophy debut
14 December 2022 – Arjun Tendulkar scores a century on Ranji Trophy debut https://t.co/zkRC1wF7bt
— Moulin (@Moulinparikh) December 14, 2022
Speaking about the game, Goa, after being asked to bat first, have posted 410/5 in 140 overs going into the tea break on Day 2. Arjun was batting on 112 off 195 deliveries, with the help of 15 fours and a couple of sixes.
However, the chief architect behind Goa’s big total was Suyash Prabhudessai. He was unbeaten on 172 after facing 357 balls. Both Arjun and Prabhudesai have managed to form a stunning partnership of 209 runs for the sixth wicket.
Notably, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) had given a No Objection Certificate (NoC) to Arjun, who applied for the same to represent Goa.
“He wanted to play for Goa in the forthcoming season, so he approached us. We told him to first get an NoC from MCA, which he got today. We will have his fitness and skill test going ahead. Like many players, Arjun wanted to play for Goa, but a process will be followed before we pick him,” Vipul Phadke, the Goa Cricket Association secretary, had said in a statement.
