'Start of a beautiful journey': Sachin Tendulkar pens heartfelt message for son after IPL debut

Cricket legend and former Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar was a proud father after his son Arjun Tendulkar made his debut for Mumbai Indians (MI) in their match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.

On Sunday, Sachin and Arjun Tendulkar also became the first father and son duo to take part in the IPL and that too for the same franchise -- Mumbai Indians. After the match, Tendulkar took to social media to pen a thoughtful message for his son.

Arjun, today you have taken another important step in your journey as a cricketer, the legendary cricketer wrote.

"As your father, someone who loves you and is passionate about the game, I know you will continue to give the game the respect it deserves and the game will love you back. You have worked very hard to reach here, and I am sure you will continue to do so. This is the start of a beautiful journey. All the best!," he added.

Arjun's sister Sara Tendulkar also reacted to the post. She was present at the venue in Mumbai when her brother made his IPL debut.

Not just Sachin, several other Indian cricketers also came forward to congratulate Arjun on his debut.

"The long-awaited occasion is finally here congratulations #ArjunTendulkar. proud moment for the master @sachin_rt," Yuvraj Singh tweeted.

"Well earned MI debut for Arjun Tendulkar. Proud moment for dad @sachin_rt who witnessed his son live from the dressing room. This is just the start. #MI #MIPaltan #OneFamily," Zaheer Khan wrote.

Suresh Raina also took to Twitter and said, "Congratulations to Arjun Tendulkar on his debut match today! Best of luck to him as he steps onto the field, showcasing his skills and carving his own path. #KKRvsMI."

Arjun Tendulkar bowled two overs and conceded 17 runs. He failed to pick up a wicket in his debut. Mumbai defeated KKR by 5 wickets. 

Arjun was first bought by Mumbai Indians at the IPL 2021 auction for Rs 20 lakh and went for Rs 30 lakh in 2022, with Gujarat Titans being the only other team making a bid for him. The 23-year-old was retained by Mumbai Indians ahead of the mini-auction in December last year.

Also Read: 'A historic first': Harbhajan Singh, Sourav Ganguly react as Arjun Tendulkar makes IPL debut in MI vs KKR