Arjun Tendulkar has worked very hard to get here, says coach Atul Gaikwad

Stepping into the shoes of one of the greatest cricketers of all time Arjun Tendulkar would hope to live up to the expectations of the general public. Arjun was named in the U-19 squad led by Rahul Dravid that will travel to Sri Lanka for an upcoming tour. Amidst the many speculations that Arjun’s inclusion in the team was due to the influence of his father, but NCA coach Atul Gaikwad has rubbished those rumors stating that the youngster worked hard to secure a spot in Dravid’s squad.

“Arjun’s hard work has paid off. I’ve seen that boy very closely. From suffering back-to back stress fractures three years ago to struggling with a spate of injuries, he has worked very hard to get here,”. “On a good day, he can consistently touch 135 (kmph),” said Gaikwad in an interview to DeccanChronicle.

Gaikwad, who has a PhD in biomechanics and was roped in by Sachin to coach his son almost three years ago, also revealed that the young lad had the confidence of living up to the pressure that his surname brought with it.

“I expect him to handle it well. Personally, I’ve never seen him take advantage of his father’s name. For instance, never did he expect his coaches to give him any special attention because he is Sachin’s son nor has he ever made noise about it. I only hope people don’t jump the gun and start talking trash about why he’s here and whose son he is. Watch his cricket and see for yourself,” said Gaikwad.