Opinion: Will Arjun Tendulkar get to play in the IPL next year?

Arjun Sachin Tendulkar has probably the biggest burden of a surname in the history of cricket. Son of India's greatest batsman Sachin Tendulkar, Arjun Tendulkar is slowly rising through the junior levels of Indian cricket. Being a fast bowling all-rounder, Arjun Tendulkar has represented the India U-19 squad in a few matches in recent times.

Although there has been criticism regarding his selection to the U-19 squad, Arjun Tendulkar is slowly establishing himself as a good young cricketer. 19-year-old Arjun Tendulkar will not have an opportunity to represent the country in the U-19 World Cup as it is scheduled to happen in 2020 and he will not qualify then.

However, he would get plenty of opportunities in domestic level and like for every young Indian cricketer, the Indian Premier League will be a great platform for the Mumbai lad to showcase his talent.

Arjun Tendulkar is relatively inexperienced to play in the IPL and this could be a stumbling block to the start of his IPL journey. Considering his qualities as a left-hand medium pacer and a middle-order batsman, Arjun Tendulkar could render balance to any team he plays for. India also needs such a player and a stint in the IPL will help to develop his qualities as a cricketer.

Whether any team would risk a spot in their squad to include the youngster is something that the team management of the IPL franchises should think about. Although he could be a liability to include him in the squad now, it could be a wise investment as Arjun Tendulkar can be a good cricketer in the future. He could also bring some sponsors along with him which would be a good financial investment for any team.

As for the teams which need a player of the qualities of Arjun Tendulkar, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, and Delhi Daredevils top the list as these teams lack a good domestic all-rounder.

However, considering the confusion regarding Hardik Pandya's availability in the IPL next year, Mumbai Indians could be in the fray too. Sachin Tendulkar is still the mentor of Mumbai Indians and hence the Mukesh Ambani owned franchise would like to include to this player who has also bowled previously in their training sessions.

It is still early to judge Arjun Tendulkar's abilities as a cricketer and a stint in the Indian Premier League will only improve his quality as a cricketer.