Arjun Tendulkar, the son of Indian cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, is ready to start a new chapter in his career with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Arjun first entered the IPL when he was signed by the Mumbai Indians in 2021. He played for the franchise until 2025, though opportunities were limited, before joining the Lucknow franchise ahead of this year’s campaign. While the southpaw is yet to make his debut for the new franchise, he understandably arrived with the expectation of playing a little more than he did for MI.
During an interview on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, Arjun opened up about his experience at MI and the limited opportunities he received at the franchise.
“You played a few matches for Mumbai Indians (MI) and bowled well. Your swing was good, so did you feel you should have gotten more opportunities?” Arjun was asked.
He replied, “Who doesn’t feel that? No one wants to sit on the bench. But we want to work hard and perform when we get a chance.”
Arjun also shared his thoughts on a debatable rule in the IPL-the Impact Player-which has been criticised by a number of Indian internationals in recent times. Arjun echoed these sentiments, saying cricket is a game of 11 players and that is how it should be played.
“Pick 11 and play. Because in international T20s, and in any other league, there is no Impact Player. So, I am personally against the Impact Player rule.”
The Lucknow team is often seen as a side that has incredible batters at the top, but the middle and lower-middle order has looked fragile. While Arjun does not look like a starter at the moment, he might be given an opportunity at the number 6, 7, or 8 spot to showcase his batting skills. Although Arjun is not sure of the opportunities he will get this season, he is ready to bat at any position allotted.
When asked about his team’s middle order, the all-rounder said: “Our middle order is also very powerful. T20 is a game where anyone can beat anyone, so I think we have a bright chance to do well in this tournament.”