While the Wall has been doing what he does best since he retired – namely never failing to sound refined and elegant, he might have a spot of competition soon. Rahul Dravid’s nine-year old son, Samit Dravid has been lighting up cricket fields in Bangalore, playing some crucial innings just like his dad and taking his team to victory. Is this the first brick in another wall?
But Samit Dravid is not alone. There is someone else who can identify with him: Arjun Tendulkar, the son of cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar. The world got its first real look at the Little Master’s son during his emotional retirement speech at the Wankhede in 2013 and the spotlight has never been far away. Though Sachin has specifically requested the media to give his son “breathing room”, the curiosity factor around Arjun still remains sky-high.
Another father-son combination in Indian cricket?
Indian cricket has not been a stranger to father and son combinations. The most successful father-son combination is probably Lala Amarnath and his sons, Mohinder and Surinder Amarnath. While Lala Amarnath etched his name in the annals of sporting history by becoming the first Indian cricketer to score a Test century, Mohinder Amarnath was Man of the Series in India’s 1983 World Cup title. Surinder Amarnath also represented India at the national level and was a prolific batsman at the first-class level. On a bit of a dampener though, there is also the case of the Gavaskars – Rohan Gavaskar could never really come out of the massive shadow of his father, the original Little Master Sunil Gavaskar, something that both Samit Dravid and Arjun Tendulkar should be wary of.
But back to Samit Dravid. This nine-year old right-handed batsman has been making waves with his performances for his school, Mallya Aditi International School. This bespectacled youngster hit a crucial 77 in the final of the U-12 Inter-School Gopalan Cricket Challenge Cup in Bengaluru to take his school to the title. But that was not a one-off. Samit Dravid has been an epitome of consistency (dare we say it, just like his dad). In the matches preceding the final, Dravid Jr hit two half-centuries both in match-winning performances and deservedly got the “Best Batsman” award in the U-12 category.
Big shoes to fill
Another rising star is Arjun Tendulkar. His father might have had every shot in the book, but Arjun looks to be taking a different route. A video during the Ashes showed Arjun Tendulkar bowling against the English batsmen in the nets. Unlike his father though, Arjun Tendulkar bowled left-arm fast with a smooth run-up. He’s already impressed none other than Wasim Akram who, in an interview during the Indian Premier League, labelled him a “passionate kid” and gave him tips on how take the ball away from right-handers. And don’t think he’s a mug with the bat either – he scored 118 off just 42 balls for his school in a school cricket tournament, recently.
Of course, this is just the start of their career and there’s a long way ahead. But cricket fans are a romantic lot, prone to get nostalgic – especially if Samit Dravid puts his front foot down and plays one of those textbook cover drives.
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But Samit Dravid is not alone. There is someone else who can identify with him: Arjun Tendulkar, the son of cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar. The world got its first real look at the Little Master’s son during his emotional retirement speech at the Wankhede in 2013 and the spotlight has never been far away. Though Sachin has specifically requested the media to give his son “breathing room”, the curiosity factor around Arjun still remains sky-high.
Another father-son combination in Indian cricket?
Indian cricket has not been a stranger to father and son combinations. The most successful father-son combination is probably Lala Amarnath and his sons, Mohinder and Surinder Amarnath. While Lala Amarnath etched his name in the annals of sporting history by becoming the first Indian cricketer to score a Test century, Mohinder Amarnath was Man of the Series in India’s 1983 World Cup title. Surinder Amarnath also represented India at the national level and was a prolific batsman at the first-class level. On a bit of a dampener though, there is also the case of the Gavaskars – Rohan Gavaskar could never really come out of the massive shadow of his father, the original Little Master Sunil Gavaskar, something that both Samit Dravid and Arjun Tendulkar should be wary of.
But back to Samit Dravid. This nine-year old right-handed batsman has been making waves with his performances for his school, Mallya Aditi International School. This bespectacled youngster hit a crucial 77 in the final of the U-12 Inter-School Gopalan Cricket Challenge Cup in Bengaluru to take his school to the title. But that was not a one-off. Samit Dravid has been an epitome of consistency (dare we say it, just like his dad). In the matches preceding the final, Dravid Jr hit two half-centuries both in match-winning performances and deservedly got the “Best Batsman” award in the U-12 category.
Big shoes to fill
Another rising star is Arjun Tendulkar. His father might have had every shot in the book, but Arjun looks to be taking a different route. A video during the Ashes showed Arjun Tendulkar bowling against the English batsmen in the nets. Unlike his father though, Arjun Tendulkar bowled left-arm fast with a smooth run-up. He’s already impressed none other than Wasim Akram who, in an interview during the Indian Premier League, labelled him a “passionate kid” and gave him tips on how take the ball away from right-handers. And don’t think he’s a mug with the bat either – he scored 118 off just 42 balls for his school in a school cricket tournament, recently.
Of course, this is just the start of their career and there’s a long way ahead. But cricket fans are a romantic lot, prone to get nostalgic – especially if Samit Dravid puts his front foot down and plays one of those textbook cover drives.