‘Don’t put pressure on him’ – Sachin Tendulkar reacts after Arjun Tendulkar’s maiden first-class century

Days after Arjun Tendulkar slammed his maiden first-class century on his debut for Goa against Rajasthan in Ranji Trophy, Sachin Tendulkar opened up on his son’s achievement and explained that the 23-year-old did not have a “normal childhood” because he is the son of a well-known cricket player. He also asked people not to place too much pressure on his ward.

Playing for Mumbai against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy at the tender age of 15, Sachin scored his maiden ton in first-class cricket. Arjun, a fast-bowling all-rounder, scored 120 runs off 207 balls on day two of Goa’s Ranji opener against Rajasthan, 34 years later.

My parents gave me the freedom to go out and express myself: Sachin Tendulkar

“Arjun has not led a normal childhood; being a son of a cricketer who has been for quite some time, it is not so easy and that is the only reason when I retired and was facilitated by the media in Mumbai, my message to them was: allow Arjun to fall in love with cricket, give him that opportunity,” Sachin was quoted as saying to Infosys at 40.

“You can follow up with various statements after he has performed. Don’t put pressure on him because I never had pressure from my parents,” he added.

“My parents gave me the freedom to go out and express myself, there was no pressure of expectations. It was only encouragement and support and how could we go and better ourselves and that is what I wanted him to do. I kept telling him that it’s going to be challenging,” Sachin explained.

Sachin also recalled an emotional moment with his father, Ramesh Tendulkar, and said,

“I remember hearing my father tell someone (just when I started playing for India) when that person had asked how did it feel to get addressed as Sachin’s father. He said it is the proudest moment of my life. This is what fathers want their children to be, to be recognised for what your child has done.”