“Don’t Have Cricketer Friends”: Arjun Tendulkar Opens Up On Personal Life

Lucknow Super Giants all-rounder Arjun Tendulkar, son of Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, shared some intriguing insights into his personal life in a recent interview. The all-rounder, who struggled for consistent opportunities at the Mumbai Indians (MI), was traded to LSG ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Now preparing to make his debut for the franchise, Arjun revealed some surprising details about his life off the field. One of the biggest revelations was that he hardly has any cricketer friends.

During a chat with Shubhankar Mishra on his podcast, Arjun was asked how he manages to stay calm. His secret, he explained, lies in spending time with his five dogs at his home in Goa.

Conversation excerpt:

Shubhankar: How do you keep yourself so calm and cool?

Arjun: “I have five dogs in Goa, and I spend time playing with them.”

Shubhankar: Do you have friends who are cricketers?

Arjun: “I don’t really have cricketer friends; most of my friends don’t play cricket.”

Shubhankar: Do you talk to them about cricket?

Arjun: No, they don’t know much about cricket.

Shubhankar: Are you scared of criticism?

Arjun: “No, I’m not.”

What stood out from the interview was the fact that Arjun-himself a professional cricketer and the son of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar-doesn’t have cricketer friends.

Over the years, Arjun has faced considerable trolling on social media, largely due to the expectations fans placed on him because of his father’s illustrious career. Still considered a ‘work in progress,’ Arjun was asked during the podcast if he fears criticism. His confident reply dismissed that notion.

At the Mumbai Indians, the presence of world-class pacers like Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult limited Arjun’s opportunities. At Lucknow Super Giants, however, the competition will be different, with the likes of Mohammed Shami, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, and Anrich Nortje forming the pace attack.

Yet, it is Arjun’s ability with the bat that could carve out a role for him in the lower-middle order of the franchise.

When asked about a player he idolised growing up, apart from his father Sachin, Arjun named Yuvraj Singh. Asked if he admired Yuvraj’s bowling, Arjun replied with a smile: “He was a spinner; I am a pacer.”