‘Do you believe you can go out and get a 100?’ - Sachin Tendulkar reveals honest chat with Arjun Tendulkar before his maiden Ranji ton

On 14 December 2022, Sachin Tendulkar’s son, Arjun Tendulkar made headlines when he smashed a maiden ton in his Ranji Trophy debut for Goa. Before this season, Arjun switched from Mumbai to Goa in order to get more game time. So, Goa handed him a debut in the first match only.

However, after 34 years, during the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 season, his son, Arjun Tendulkar emulated the same feat as he scored a hundred on his Ranji Trophy debut. In the 1988-89 season, Sachin scored his hundred off 129 balls with 12 boundaries and became the youngest batsman to reach triple figures on his Ranji Trophy debut. Now, the legendary batter, Sachin Tendulkar shared the secret chat he had with his son during the match.

“It hasn't been an easy ride for him, it's been a tough journey for him.” - Sachin Tendulkar on Arjun Tendulkar  

While reacting to the hundred made by Arjun, Sachin Tendulkar said: “I remember hearing my father tell someone – this was just when I had started playing for India – someone referred to him as 'Sachin's father'. He heard that, and then my father's friend asked him ‘how do you feel?’ He said, 'it's the proudest moment of my life'. Fathers want their children to be recognized by what their child has done.”

“Arjun has not led a normal childhood. Being a son of a cricketer who's been around for quite some time, it's not so easy. That's the only reason, when I retired and I was felicitated by the media in Mumbai, my message to them was to allow Arjun to fall in love with cricket, give him that opportunity. I kept telling him (Arjun), 'it's going to be challenging. You're not going to change the whole world. We have to change the mindset,'" Tendulkar added.

“I did tell him (to go for 100). He was batting on 4 not out, he was sent as a nightwatchman. He asked, ‘what do you think would be a good total?’ They were 210/5 down. I said, 'at least 375 is what you need to get to'. And he said, 'are you sure?' I replied, 'yeah. you need to go out and get a hundred. Do you believe you can go out and get a 100?'” Sachin Tendulkar concluded. Speaking of the match, Goa declared their first innings after scoring 547 runs for nine wickets. Arjun Tendulkar scored 120 runs off 207 balls.