VIRAL SACH: Lies are being spread about Arjun Tendulkar and Pranav Dhanawade

A message is going viral that says Sachin Tendulkar’s son Arjun Tendulkar was preferred over a boy who scored more than 1000 runs in selection of West Zone under-16 team. What is the reality of this viral post? The message further says that a Mumbai boy Pranav Dhanawade made 1009 runs in 323 balls in a local match but he didn’t get a place in under-16 team. It is being said that ‘eklavya’ lost to Arjun again. The message said that Arjun Tendulkar had got clean bowled at duck and gave away 52 runs in 12 overs in a match against north zone. The message claimed that Sachin had gifted his autographed bat to Pranav when he had scored more than a thousand runs in a local match, making a world record. The reality of the message is that Pranav indeed made 1009 runs in an innings in inter-school tournament of Thane district. Mumbai Cricket Association had awarded a scholarship to Pranav for this and Sachin had invited him to his house. Both these players cannot be compared as Pranav is a wicket-keeper batsman where as Arjun is an all-rounder. His selection in West Zone team was done as he was a bowling all-rounder. When we talked to Pranav’s father Prashant, he said the viral message was wrong as Arjun was selected in the team before Pranav played the astonishing innings. Arjun’s selection was done on the basis of Payyade Trophy, in which he had scored a century and had taken 4 wickers in a match. Pranav had not played in that tournament; hence couldn’t make into the team. The viral message is false.