SYDNEY, Oct 29 (PTI): Sachin Tendulkar added another feather to his cap today when the Indian batting legend was inducted as one of the latest honourees in the Bradman Foundation.
At a gala dinner held at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground, former Australian captain Steve Waugh was the other cricketer to enter the Bradman Hall of Fame alongside Tendulkar.
Tendulkar�s appearance at the annual Bradman Foundation dinner is fitting as the late Aussie great once famously said that the Indian�s technique reminded him of his own.
Tendulkar, who had the honour of meeting Bradman on his 90th birthday at his Adelaide home, was later listed in an all-time XI prepared by the batting genius himself.
Recalling the meeting that took place in 1998 at Bradman�s Adelaide�s home, Tendulkar said both he and the other invitee, Shane Warne, were so daunted they couldn�t decide who should speak first to the legendary Aussie batsman.
�I remember Warnie was with me in the car and we were discussing who was going to ask the first question,� Tendulkar told reporters here today.
�I said, �You are from Australia, so you should start�. And he was like, �No, you�re a batsman, so you can relate to him much better than what I can�,� he added.
Tendulkar, 41, enjoyed a good run at the SCG during his illustrious 24-year-long career, scoring three centuries in five Tests.
�The SCG is my favourite ground. I have always maintained that. It brings back all the memories,� Tendulkar said as he spoke publicly in Australia for the first time in six years.
�I was just outside in the car and I said it feels great to be back. It�s been a very social venue to me. Right back from 1991, which was the first time I played here.�
His unbeaten 241 not out in the 2003-04 series against the Aussies is widely regarded as one of the finest innings seen at the venue.
�(It�s) just the feel of the ground. Whenever I walked in I felt I could go on and on batting. I just enjoyed the atmosphere, and the pavilion especially. It�s a fabulous pavilion with a lot of history. It is the heritage and the impact all the players have left on this ground.
�Performing against Australia always gave me a lot of satisfaction because I knew if you perform against the leading side then everyone takes notice of your performance. It is a different kind of satisfaction.�
Tendulkar said there was a strong mutual admiration between him and Bradman when they met 16 summers ago.
�One thing was just to be able to meet the great man but also to know the funnier side of him.
�I asked him a question: �what would you have averaged in today�s cricket?� He thought about it and said �Maybe 70�. The natural reaction was �why only 70 and not 99?� He said, �C�mon, that�s not bad for a 90-year-old man�.�
