The Mumbai Indians are preparing for their IPL 2023 opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore, scheduled for Sunday, April 2, at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The five-time champions are looking for redemption this year after finishing last in the previous season. Amidst the hype, all eyes are on Arjun Tendulkar, who has been part of the franchise for a while but is still waiting for his official debut in the tournament.
Mumbai Indians (MI) are all set to kickoff their IPL 2023 campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 2 (Sunday) at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The five-time champions Mumbai Indians, who finished at the bottom of the table last season, will aim for a strong comeback. Arjun Tendulkar has been a part of the MI team for the past years, but he is yet to make his debut in the cash-rich League.
Arjun's journey has been stalled by bad luck and tactical decisions; he was unfit due to an injury in 2021 and remained on the bench throughout 2022, despite the team's poor form. Now, ahead of the 2023 season, he has been training intensely with the team. During a recent media session, captain Rohit Sharma was asked about the 23-year-old's chances of playing, and his response suggested that a debut could be on the horizon.
During the pre-tournament press conference, Rohit simply answered, \"Good question. Hopefully.\" Adding to this, head coach Mark Boucher mentioned that the youngster has shown great promise with his bowling, promising that he will be considered for the playing XI once he is completely ready.
Coming off the back of an injury, the left-arm quick is expected to be active tonight, and the team is eager to see his impact. Boucher highlighted that Arjun has been in excellent form over the last six months, particularly with the ball, making him a valuable asset if available. Regarding the captain's fitness, Boucher stated that while they don't intend to rest Rohit, they will stay flexible based on the match situation.