Jasprit Bumrah, one of the best bowlers in the world, has been an instrumental player for the Mumbai Indians since his debut in 2013. Unfortunately, Bumrah is set to miss the 2023 IPL season due to a lengthy injury, leaving a significant gap in the Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack. Many believe that Arjun Tendulkar, the son of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and a former Mumbai Indians player, could potentially fill Bumrah’s shoes. As a left-arm fast bowler, Arjun possesses the ability to swing the ball and bowl yorkers, and has had the opportunity to play with some of the Mumbai Indians players in domestic cricket.
However, some may argue that Arjun Tendulkar is not quite ready to replace Bumrah. He has limited experience playing at the senior level, and his performances have been inconsistent. Moreover, he lacks the pace, accuracy, and variations that Bumrah possesses, which could present difficulties when facing some of the IPL’s most talented batsmen.
Ultimately, whether Arjun Tendulkar is the best replacement for Bumrah in the Mumbai Indians squad remains uncertain. It will depend on his performance in practice matches and trials leading up to the IPL. Additionally, the availability and performances of other Indian pacers may also impact the selection process.
Yes, there are bowlers out there who clearly outrank young Arjun for this slot, but here are some points that we think, can work in his favour.
Why he is appropriate to replace Bumrah
Arjun Tendulkar has made a decent start to his professional career. He has scored a century on his Ranji Trophy debut for Mumbai, which shows his batting potential. He also has 20 wickets and 45 runs in 16 List A and T20 matches combined.
Arjun Tendulkar has been training with some of the best coaches and players in the world. He has been mentored by his father Sachin Tendulkar, who is one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He has also bowled at international stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow in the nets. He has learned a lot from them and improved his skills.
Arjun Tendulkar has a similar bowling style to Bumrah. He is a left-arm fast bowler who can swing the ball both ways and bowl yorkers at will. He can also vary his pace and angle of delivery to deceive the batsmen. He can provide a different option to Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack, which is mostly right-arm pacers.
Why he is still not ready to replace Bumrah
Arjun Tendulkar has not played much competitive cricket at the senior level and his performances have been inconsistent. He has only played two matches for Mumbai in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and conceded runs at an economy rate of 9.57.
Arjun Tendulkar lacks pace compared to Bumrah who can clock speeds up to 150 kmph consistently.
Arjun Tendulkar does not have many variations like Bumrah who can bowl slower balls, bouncers, cutters etc.
Arjun Tendulkar might face pressure due to high expectations from fans and media because of his father’s legacy.
