Goa all-rounder Arjun Tendulkar achieved a rare cricketing feat—one that even his iconic father Sachin Tendulkar never did. In a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh, the 25-year-old etched his name into history by becoming one of the few cricketers to open both the batting and bowling in the same T20 match.
Since moving from Mumbai to Goa in 2022, Arjun has enjoyed more game time and responsibility across formats. His progression has been steady and impressive, and ahead of IPL 2026, he was traded from Mumbai Indians to Lucknow Super Giants, signaling growing trust in his all-round value.
Arjun Tendulkar opened the innings with bat and ball and delivered
The milestone moment unfolded in Kolkata during the group-stage clash of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Given dual responsibility, Arjun opened the bowling and struck immediately, removing Shivang Kumar in the very first over. He continued to trouble the Madhya Pradesh top order, later dismissing Ankush Singh and star all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer. His final spell read 3/36, with just five runs conceded across his opening two overs. He also contributed in the field, taking a sharp catch to dismiss Rajat Patidar.
With the bat, Arjun embraced his new top-order role, scoring a quick 16 off 10 to set up Goa’s chase of 171. Captain Suyash Prabhudessai’s unbeaten 75 eventually sealed a seven-wicket win, but Arjun’s all-round impact stood out as one of the match’s defining features. This adds to his strong SMAT season so far, six wickets in four games at 7.70 economy, plus handy runs at a strike rate of 120.
Interestingly, while Sachin Tendulkar was a premier T20 opener himself, he never opened the bowling. The Master Blaster bowled just 93 deliveries in 96 T20 matches, making Arjun’s rare accomplishment even more significant.
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