Indian Cricketer Conferred Order of Australia Membership

MUMBAI (NNN-Bernama) -- Indian veteran cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has been conferred the membership of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to India-Australia relations by promoting goodwill, friendship and sportsmanship.

Australian Arts Minister Simon Crean conferred the award on the 39-year-old batsman in Mumbai on Tuesday, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

Sachin is the fourth non-Australian cricketer to be made an Order of Australia after three West Indian legends -- Clive Lloyd, Sir Garfield Sobers and Brian Lara -- received their award in 1985, 2003 and 2009 respectively.

Sachin was also the second Indian national to be honoured by the Order of Australia. Former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee Soli was made an Honorary Member for service to Australia-India bilateral legal relations in 2006.

The Indian cricketer is considered one of the greatest batsman the game has ever produced with more than 30,000 international runs under his belt.

He has scored 15,533 runs in 190 Tests and a mammoth 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs. -- NNN-BERNAMA