In a historic moment for Indian domestic cricket, Arjun Tendulkar has achieved something in T20 cricket that even his iconic father, Sachin Tendulkar, never managed during his illustrious career. Representing Goa in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, Arjun became one of the very few cricketers to open both the batting and the bowling in the same T20 match, a rare double that has placed him in an exclusive club.
The Landmark Match Against Madhya Pradesh
The milestone came during Goa’s league-stage encounter against Madhya Pradesh. Arjun, recently promoted to open the batting for Goa in T20s, was also entrusted with the new ball. For the first time in his career, he bowled the opening over of the innings while also opening the batting, officially etching his name in the record books.
All-Round Performance on the Big Day
On the day he made history, Arjun delivered an impressive all-round performance. He claimed three wickets for 36 runs in his four overs and scored 16 runs off just 10 balls while opening the batting. Across the five matches he has played in the current SMAT season, Arjun has accumulated 70 runs and taken eight wickets, demonstrating his growing importance to the Goa squad.
A Comparison With Sachin Tendulkar
Despite being a permanent opener in T20 cricket and one of the format’s earliest superstars, Sachin Tendulkar never opened the bowling. The legendary Master Blaster bowled just 93 deliveries across 96 T20 matches in his career, taking only two wickets. Sachin played India’s inaugural T20 International in 2006 and famously won the Orange Cap in IPL 2010 with 618 runs, yet the role of a bowling opener remained absent from his T20 resume.
Arjun’s Cricketing Journey
Arjun Tendulkar began his senior career with Mumbai, making his T20 debut in the 2020-21 season. He also made headlines with a century on his Ranji Trophy debut. Having now switched to Goa, he represents the team across all three formats, gradually carving his own identity in Indian cricket.
Career Statistics So Far (as of December 2025)
First-Class (22 matches): 48 wickets, 620 runs (1 century, 2 fifties)
List A (18 matches): 25 wickets, 102 runs
T20 (29 matches): 35 wickets, 189 runs
With this unique all-round milestone, Arjun Tendulkar has written a special chapter in the Tendulkar legacy, one that even the Little Master himself never achieved, showcasing the rising talent and versatility of India’s next-generation cricketer.
