Sachin Tendulkar signing autographs for kids.
IN PHOTO: Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott speaks to children as retired Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (L) signs autograph at Cricket Club of India in Mumbai September 4, 2014. Abbott is on a two-day visit to India. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui

Legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar was inducted into the prestigious Laureus Sports Academy on Wednesday night in a star studded event at the Shanghai Grand Theatre. He was part of five sports stars included into the Academy, along with Chinese basketball great Yao Ming, gymnast Li Xiaopeng, short track speed skater Yang Yang and Kenyan runner Tegla Loroupe.

The cricketer retired from all formats of the game in Nov. 2013 after scoring a record 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs and 15,645 runs in 194 Tests. He started the game as a mere 16 year old boy, making his debut against arch-rivals Pakistan in 1989. He has a record 100 hundreds scored in his 24 year long international career to go with 96 ODI. He was also the first ever to score a double century in an ODI and has 96 ODI 50s to go with 66 Test half centuries.

Sachin has often been compared to Australian legend Don Bradman, who once claimed that the ‘Little Master’ often reminded him of himself in his playing days. He is also a fan favourite at the Sydney Cricket Ground where he used to get standing ovations as he entered and left the field of play. He is a much bigger influence back home, though, where cricket is a religion and he is treated as its God.

"It is a huge honour standing here, being a new member of the Laureus Academy. I never thought that guys whom I watched growing up, I will be sharing the stage with them," said Tendulkar, as reported by the Times of India after being inducted into the Laureus Academy. Other cricketers in the Academy include Sir Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Steve Waugh and Rahul Dravid.

Yao Ming is known from his NBA days and was already awarded the Laureus Newcomer award in 2003. The event was hosted by actor Benedict Cumberbatch and was attended by celebrities of the sporting world, including the likes of Steve Waugh, Michael Holding, Fabio Capello, Emerson Fittipaldi and Carlos Puyol amongst others.

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