Sachin Tendulkar honoured by IAF

India's batting legend Sachin Tendulkar was awarded the honorary rank of group captain by the chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) for his contribution to cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar was conferred the honour by Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik, amid loud applause from fellow officers at a ceremony in the Indian capital. Indian Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik said he hoped Tendulkar's induction would inspire India's youth to join its armed forces. Tendulkar is the first sportsperson to be conferred a rank by the IAF and the first personality without an aviation background to receive the honour.

Tendulkar, who made his international debut on a tour of Pakistan in 1989, is the leading run-getter in both Test and one-day cricket. He has scored 13837 runs from 169 Tests with 48 centuries and 17598 runs in 442 ODI matches with 46 hundreds. Tendulkar is also the only batsman to score a double-century in ODI making 200 not out against South Africa in Gwalior earlier this year. His next assignment for the top-ranked Indian team is a two-Test home series against Australia starting on October 1.