The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Monday used legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's 50th birthday celebrations to unveil gates at the iconic Australia venue that are named after the India legend and fellow cricketing great Brian Lara from West Indies.
All visiting players will now take the field through the newly-named Lara-Tendulkar Gates, with the duo bestowed with the honour on Monday to coincide with Mr. Tendulkar's 50th birthday.
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, Mr. Tendulkar has scored 1,100 runs at an average of 100, with four centuries and four fifties and the best score of 241*.
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Behind West Indies' Viv Richards (1,134 runs) and Desmond Haynes (1,181 runs), he is the third-highest run-scorer at the venue among non-Australian players. Mr. Tendulkar loves playing in Australia and numbers prove it. In his 67 international matches there, Tendulkar scored 3,300 runs at an average of 42.85. He scored seven centuries and 17 half-centuries in the country, with the best score of 241*.
Mr. Tendulkar is the fifth-highest non-Australia run-scorer in Australia, behind Brian Lara (3,370 runs), Virat Kohli (3,426 runs), West Indies duo of Desmond Haynes (4,238 runs) and Viv Richards (4,529 runs).
"The Sydney Cricket Ground has been my favourite ground away from India," Mr. Tendulkar said as quoted by ICC. "I have had some great memories at the SCG right from my first tour of Australia in 1991-92. It is a great honour to have the gates used by all visiting cricketers to access the field of play at the SCG named after me and my good friend Brian. I would like to thank the team at SCG and Cricket Australia for this kind gesture. I look forward to visiting the SCG soon," added Mr. Tendulkar.
The unveiling also took place 30 years after Lara made his famous innings of 277 against Australia at the SCG in 1993 and the West Indies great was thrilled to receive the honour.
"I am deeply honoured to be recognised at the Sydney Cricket Ground, as I am sure Sachin is. The ground holds many special memories for me and my family and I always enjoy visiting whenever I am in Australia," said Mr. Lara, who has sensational figures of 3,370 runs in 71 international matches in Australia at an average of 41.09 and eight centuries and 19 half-centuries to his name in the country. Lara has also played 13 matches at SCG, in which he has scored 654 runs in 16 innings at an average of 43.60 with two centuries and a fifty.
