Sachin awarded The Order of Australia

Simon Crean Australian Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, presents the membership of The Order of Australia to Indian cricketer Tendulkar in Mumbai on November 6, 2012. AFP PHOTO/ INDRANIL MUKHERJEE

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who announced Tendulkar's membership to the Order during a three-day state visit to India last month, told reporters that Tendulkar deserved the "special honour" because he was a "very special cricketer". AFP PHOTO/ INDRANIL MUKHERJEE

Sachin Tendulkar described his visit to Sir Donald Bradman on his 90th birthday as his most memorable trip to Australia. He also narrated an anecdote from the visit - he had asked The Don why his average was just 99.94. “Come on, its (99.94) not bad for a 90-year-old man,” Bradman told him.

Sachin Tendulkar said that away from India, Australia is the best place he'd played cricket at and away from India, SCG was his favourite ground. He said that the three and a half months he spent in Australia during his early days changed him as a cricketer. AFP PHOTO/ INDRANIL MUKHERJEE

Tendulkar is not the first cricketer to be conferred the Order of Australia, as in 2009, West Indies legend Brian Lara had also been made an honorary member. The Master Blaster also thanked the Prime Minister and all the Australians for the honour.