Srinagar: In a major statement in support of Mumbai Indians pacer Arjun Tendulkar, Australian legend Brett Lee has said that junior Tendulkar has capacity to bowl at 140kph mark.
Arjun Tendulkar was handed debut this season by Mumbai Indians in IPL and has so far played four matches. He has picked three wickets. In the match against Gujarat on Tuesday , son of legendary Sachin Tendulkar bowled two overs. He gave only nine runs and picked one wicket.
“When he was given the responsibility of bowling at the death the other evening, when he closed out the game and won the match for the Mumbai Indians, whichever way it went, I knew it would have been a great experience. What I mean is that he has been thrown into the deep end and that has been great for him. So he is learning as he goes. And like in the other evening when he got hit for a few runs, that is fine. It happens in T20 cricket and I keep reiterating to bowlers that in this format there will be games when bowlers go the journey. It has happened to me so many times. So you have to take the emotion out of it,” Brett Lee, IPL Expert on JioCinema, said in response to a Hindustan Times query.
“I think he can do all facets,” he said when asked which is a more suitable bowling phase for Arjun in the MI set-up. “The thing with Arjun Tendulkar is I have been super impressed. I feel he has been in wonderful fine form for the Mumbai Indians. His new-ball bowling is outstanding, he is swinging the ball, he is getting the most swing out of the Mumbai Indians. He is well-suited for the middle overs and with experience he will enjoy bowling at the death overs. I am all praise for him.”
About Arjun’s pace Brett Lee said, “People criticise almost everything. If you look at Sandeep Sharma, he has been bowling at 120 kph. Arjun is at least bowling way faster than that. He is only 23 years of age and he has got his whole career ahead of him. My advice will be don’t listen to critics. Like his dad had to go through like he misses out and gets a low score…you got to back yourself. He has got some wonderful skills. He can bowl at 140 kph so as soon as he gets comfortable bowling in the team environment, in front of the big lights and big crowd, his pace will increase. I see no issue with his pace. I know how fast he can bowl. He has got all the talent and all the right attributes. So my advice would be to keep doing what you have been doing and don’t listen to those people who are trying to have a go at him because remember most people who will criticise on social media have never bowled a ball in their life. They are keyboard warriors”.