When Sachin Tendulkar was retiring amid all the frenzy around this time last year, one felt that his biggest challenge lay in managing a life away from the 22 yards. What struck me — like most — was that, after living through such an extraordinary career for almost a quarter of a century, how would he cope with the emptiness and manage to stay relevant?

While most of his peers slipped into some kind of a role that would enable them to stay close to cricket, be it in the commentary box or as an administrator, the Little Master has chosen to be at his self-effacing best for most of the time. Apart from gracing the celebrity circuit, he would often be an apologetic self at the Rajya Sabha or, of late, make a few obligatory appearances as the co-owner of one of the Indian Soccer League (ISL) franchises.

His true calling, hence, came in the form of an invitation to be inducted as the Bradman Foundation’s latest honouree in Sydney. It’s a milieu where the master batsman fitted in seamlessly — not merely because of the fact the SCG was one of his happy hunting groundsو — but nothing probably kicks off the adrenalin rush in him more than the prospect of a recognition from the institution upholding the Bradman tradition.

Much before the favourite debate of ‘Bradman or Tendulkar’ really took root as the Indian started taking charge of all conceivable batting records, his fascination with the legend started with the all-too-familiar story of Tendulkar and Warne visiting him on his 90th birthday. Like most cricket tourists from India whose curiosity about Bradman only increased with each visit Down Under, Tendulkar was no exception — going on record to say how a contest with Australia always energised him that extra bit.

The conservatism of the Bradman Foundation is evident from the benchmark they apply before ushering any cricketer into their Hall of Fame. It was sort of an early induction for Tendulkar, having retired from the game only last year, as the wait was much longer for Australian cricket’s ‘Captain Courageous’ Steve Waugh.

Much respected for his objectivity rather than hyperboles that fellow cricketers have showered Tendulkar with, Waugh’s description of the former as “probably the modern day Bradman” at the Sydney ceremony is also a tacit admission that the Australians are perhaps ready to offer the Indian a suitable pedestal.

Once the felicitation is over, Tendulkar will probably retreat into his ivory tower again. Come November 16, the Indian media will once again throw themselves at each other to grab sound bites from him as to how the first year after retirement had gone. The inevitable question, however, will follow: what is he doing next?

Well, after working hard — day in and day out for 24 years — Tendulkar is certainly not ‘obliged’ to do anything for the benefit of his legion of admirers. It’s his call but I, for one, hope for something more than him than playing mentor to an IPL franchise or only a ‘select’ band of cricketers under the common sponsor!