Never Dreamt of It’: Rohit Sharma Gets Emotional as Wankhede Stand Named After Him

Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said it is the society's duty to honour all those who have made the country proud. "We should honour those who have made us proud," Fadnavis said at a ceremony to unveil stands at the Wankhede Stadium named after former ICC, BCCI and MCA presidents Sharad Pawar, ex-India captain Ajit Wadekar and recently retired Test cricketer Rohit Sharma here on Friday.

In his speech, Chief Minister Fadnavis promised that if the MCA proposes to build a second one lakh capacity stadium in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government will consider it favourably and provide suitable land for support. Fadnavis also expressed hope that such a stadium will be built by the time the MCA celebrates its centenary four years later. As part of the event, the MCA officially unveiled the Sharad Pawar Stand, Rohit Sharma Stand, Ajit Wadekar Stand and MCA Office Lounge in memory of former Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Amol Kale. Kale had become the MCA president after defeating former India and Mumbai cricketer Sandeep Patil in the elections held in October 2022. He died of cardiac arrest while touring the United States for the T20 World Cup in 2024. During his tenure, the MCA had taken some important decisions, including matching the BCCI match fees for all its red-ball players for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

Late Ajit Wadekar, who was represented by his family, was India's first ODI captain and led the country to historic overseas Test series wins in West Indies and England in 1971. He played 37 Tests and 2 ODIs between 1966 and 1974 and made his first-class debut in 1958-59. "Sharad Pawar has played a vital role in the development of Mumbai and Indian cricket as an efficient administrator. He has also played a big role in the overall development of the game as the President of the ICC," Fadnavis said. In the end, Fadnavis thanked the cricketers and their families who have played a role in making Wankhede the Mecca of Indian cricket. While he admitted that there may have been a delay on the part of the MCA in naming the stand after Wadekar, he said the move has at least come to fruition now and thanked the MCA governing body for making it possible. Fadnavis also remembered Wadekar as the captain of the Indian cricket team that won series in England and West Indies.

He also said that Rohit Sharma deserves the respect that has been given to him as he has led India to victory in two consecutive ICC tournaments. He also expressed hope that one day he will see Rohit Sharma hitting a six in the stand named after him.