Wankhede Stadium honors Rohit Sharma with dedicated stand: Complete details
What's the story
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has named a stand at the Wankhede Stadium after Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma. The unveiling ceremony also saw stands dedicated to Ajit Wadekar, a former Indian skipper, and Sharad Pawar, ex-chief of MCA, BCCI, and ICC. Rohit's family was present at the Wankhede Stadium as part of the ceremony. An MCA Office Lounge was also inaugurated in memory of late Amol Kale, former President of the association.
Player's reaction
Rohit expresses gratitude for honor
Rohit thanked MCA for this honor, saying Wankhede Stadium has always been special to him. "Wankhede has always been incredibly special to me. It's where I began to dream about my journey in professional cricket, experienced some of the most unforgettable moments of my career, and the energy of the Mumbai crowd has always lifted me. To have a stand named after me at this iconic venue is overwhelming. It is a tribute to the dreams, support, and milestones that have shaped my journey and I am deeply thankful to MCA for this honor," he said.
Unique honor
Rohit joins cricket legends with dedicated stand
Rohit's achievement is one of a kind as he is the only active cricketer to have a part of Wankhede Stadium dedicated to him. This honor puts him in the league of cricket legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Vijay Merchant who also have stands named after them. The unveiling ceremony was attended by the families of all those being honored today.
MCA's pledge
Ajinkya Naik reaffirms commitment to preserving Mumbai cricket's legacy
Meanwhile, Ajinkya Naik, President of the MCA, reiterated the association's commitment to keeping the heritage of Mumbai cricket alive. He said that dedicating stands and the MCA Office Lounge to these iconic figures is a way of embedding their legacy into Wankhede Stadium's fabric. "Each of them has played a transformative role in shaping Mumbai cricket's identity and progress," he added.
Future plans
Maharashtra CM proposes larger stadium for cricket enthusiasts
Separately, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis suggested to the MCA to submit a proposal for a bigger stadium in the city. He said, "I assure you that we will construct an even larger stadium capable of accommodating over one hundred thousand spectators." This proposal is to give Mumbai's cricket-loving population a venue that matches their love for the sport.
Ambani
Nita Ambani congratulates Rohit Sharma
Nita Ambani congratulated Rohit and called him a legend. "Congratulations, Rohit! As Wankhede honours one of its favourite sons, it now carries not just your memories, but your name - a permanent mark of inspiration for every young cricketer. A true legend of our city and our country," Mrs. Ambani said in the statement.
SKY
Wankhede is even more iconic now, says SKY
Suryakumar Yadav congratulated Rohit. He took on Instagram to pen a heartfelt note. "Congratulations @rohitsharma45 on achieving incredible things on the cricket ground, from finisher to opener to our captain, you have been an inspiration and our pride, in every role." "Very rarely comes a leader who leads from the front, and changes the game for the better. You are that leader who has changed not just the game, but the approach, the attitude, the dressing room atmosphere, the team, and redefined the role of a captain." "Like I have said before, good things happen to good people, and you deserve it all and more. Wankhede just got even more iconic," read the post by SKY on Instagram.
Twitter Post
Twitter Post
THE ROHIT SHARMA STAND
— 45Tweets 🕊️ (@45Tweetss) May 16, 2025
Best moments 🥹 😭 🤌😍❤️#RohitSharma 🛐🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/SW2IhcTCnH