Arjun Tendulkar and the Burden of a Famous Surname
Soon after Arjun Tendulkar was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), social media went after him. Arjun was trolled, as is the norm these days, and some people went on to accuse him of nepotism. Frankly, Arjun wasn’t involved in the decision-making. Yes, he is a Tendulkar, but that is not something he can do anything about.
He is a normal, hard-working cricketer like many others who have played domestic cricket and enrolled themselves in the IPL auction. If a franchise picked him, it is his good fortune. But there is no way he was involved in the decision-making. And if LSG picked him for brand building, I think it was a very prudent call, for the IPL is a business and every brand is entitled to leverage opportunities that come its way.
Arjun, needless to say, will forever have to carry the burden of his surname. He will always be compared with his legendary father and be accused of nepotism. Such is the viciousness and negativity around him that he will not even be allowed the freedom to do what he wants.
It is a misconception that star kids have it easy. Many feel things come easily to them and that breeds a sense of hostility and frustration. Arjun, frankly, is damned either way. If he did not play cricket and tried doing something else, people would say he is good for nothing and that despite being Sachin Tendulkar’s son, he decided not to pursue the sport. And now that he has opted to play cricket, knowing fully well that his surname will haunt him, he is trolled and abused.
It is important that all of us try and be in his shoes for a while. Imagine training for hours and hours, for days on end, only to be told that all this hard work is for nothing and that everything you have today is because your father is Sachin Tendulkar. Yes, he might not be the most talented cricketer around. He might only achieve modest success in his career. But why can’t he simply be a domestic cricketer who is left alone to do what he wants to do?
This brings me to a conversation I once had with Sachin. Sachin, for those who know him well, rarely gets agitated. When the topic turned to Arjun, he said to me with a deep sense of concern, “I did not ask him to play cricket. But who am I to tell him not to pursue his dream and do something else instead? When I was growing up and decided to play cricket, did my parents stop me from doing so?”
So, why is it that star kids are singled out for this kind of treatment? Why do we feel entitled to abuse them and attack their dignity? Frankly, such trolls are cowards, for they hide behind a veil of anonymity and take barbs
knowing their identity will never be disclosed.
I was pleased to see Arjun on the field last night. He toiled all season and played when the opportunity presented itself. It is his calling, and he is every bit entitled to do what he wants.
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