NEW DELHI, Dec 27: The Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has accepted the invitation of the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) to become an honorary member of the prestigious institution, the Club said on Friday.
Founded in 1838, the MCC is one of the oldest sports clubs in Australia and is responsible for the management and development of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), one of the game’s premier venues.
“An icon honoured. The MCC is pleased to announce that former Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar has accepted an Honorary Cricket Membership, acknowledging his outstanding contribution to the game,” the MCC posted on ‘X’. The legendary Sachin Tendulkar currently holds the record for most runs at MCG with 449 from five Tests at an average of 44.90 and a strike-rate of 58.69 with a hundred and three fifties.
Earlier in 2012, Tendulkar was awarded the Order of Australia, one of the country’s highest honours. The MCG is currently hosting the vital fourth and penultimate Test match between India and Australia with the rubber evenly poised at 1-1.
Another iconic test venue in Australia, the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) had last year used Tendulkar’s 50th birthday celebrations to unveil gates at the venue that are named after the India legend and fellow cricketing great Brian Lara from West Indies.
All visiting players now take the field through the newly-named Lara-Tendulkar Gates, with the duo bestowed with the honour. Mr Tendulkar’s first Test century on Australia shores came at the picturesque Sydney venue and the champion right-hander averaged a whopping 157 from five Test matches at the ground. In 13 international matches at SCG, Tendulkar has scored 1,100 runs at an average of 100, with four centuries and four fifties and the best score of 241*.
(Manas Dasgupta)