In Fairness of Good Genes

Welcome to Twenty Two Yards, a weekly newsletter celebrating cricket's culture and characters.

In this issue:

• God of Cricket introduces his son.

• Virat Kohli wants you to feel his stare

• Pakistan and New Zealand take cover.

Estimated read ⏰: 5 mins

In Fairness of Good Genes

Papa Sachin Tendulkar is celebrating his 50th just a week after the world pounced on their androids in response to his son, Arjun Tendulkar's premiere on the big stage. He followed up with 31 runs in one over against KKR - welcome to the big leagues, kid.

After his first match, Arjun received the POTM medal from the greatest batsman in history and the God of Cricket - Mr Sachin Tendulkar, aka Dad.

Only a Japanese Yokozuna can understand this level of respect and adoration outside of cricket. Not Tom Brady or Jordan, Tiger or Messi, Serena or Messi - okay, maybe Beyonce.

No doubt, Arjun's performance against SRH highlighted his cricketing talent, but does it put to bed the lingering question: Is he only in the IPL because he's Sachin's son?

While nepotism is common in many industries (ask any aspiring actor or politician), when you're on the field bowling to Rashid Khan and Jos Butler - good luck relying on Daddy for help.

Claims of Nepotism in Cricket

• India: Cricket was India's game for royals until 1971 when its team of 'no hopers' stunned the world and popularised the sport among the working class. Before that shift, your name meant more than your talent. That can still be the case today - ask legendary Indian opener Virender Sehwag, who was raked over the coals on Twitter after his son was picked in the Delhi U-16 team.
  

• England: Duncan Stone argues that cricket always has operated along class lines and points to Marylebone Cricket Club's decision to backtrack and reinstate a fixture following a rebellion of prominent members.

• Australia: Mitch Marsh, son of Aussie great Geoff Marsh, said, "Most of Australia hate me," because fans claimed nepotism of his team selection, which was made by Rod Marsh - who he wasn't even related to.

• Sri Lanka: In 2020, the test team selection was heavily scrutinised due to the omissions of some of the best players, followed by the Chairman of Selectors admitting he did not select the squad.

…and not just cricket
LeBron James is currently campaigning for his son, Bronny - who is not eligible to play until 2024, to team up with him in the league. Ironically enough, the move has been criticised as nepotism by Austin Rivers, who plays in the league and is the son of current NBA coach Doc Rivers.

Deterring future stars?
Think of what could have been if Shane Warne's son, Jackson, didn't give up on the sport due to rampant pressures of nepotism. How many kids like him have opted not to pursue a career similar to their parents due to the constant claims of nepotism, harassment and pressure from fans?

Will Charlie Woods give up golf as fans compare his swing to Tiger's?

Bollywood: the proof is on the field
Bollywood actor-director Farhan Akhtar tweeted support of Arjun in 2021, sharing that they "frequent the same gym and I've seen how hard he works on his fitness… don't murder his enthusiasm and weigh him down before he's begun."

Preity Zinta, Bollywood actress and co-owner of the Punjab Kings offered similar support after Arjun's performance against SRH.

The Stakes
When playing on cricket’s biggest stage, you need more than just your surname. Is it worth sacrificing your team's performance to gain political advantage or to make a family member happy? At the same time, maybe we should give some of these young players a shot at performing on the pitch before stifling their careers with rampant claims of nepotism from the jump.

In Partnership with DAZN

The IPL has arrived in the U.K. and Ireland

All 74 matches, including the playoffs and finals, will be included in the DAZN subscription at no extra cost, starting from as little as £9.99 per month.

The Slip Corden

• What the hail?
  Mother nature had the final say in Rawalpindi, blanketing the pitch in massive balls of hail to force the fourth T20 between Pakistan and New Zealand to be abandoned. To say this was just a hailstorm would be the understatement of the century. Just check out the photos.
  

• Biopic ‘800’ back on track
  The first-look poster for Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan’s upcoming biopic was unveiled last week on his birthday - and with a new star! Madhur Mittal from Slumdog Millionaire fame shared his excitement to play the spin legend role. Actor Vijay Sethupathi was previously attached to the film but opted out due to political controversy.

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