By The Sampadak Express
In a landmark moment for Indian cricket, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) on Friday officially inaugurated the ‘Rohit Sharma Stand’ at Wankhede Stadium, celebrating the legacy of the Indian ODI captain. The ceremony, attended by dignitaries including Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, marked an emotional milestone in Rohit’s storied career.
Rohit invited his parents to join him on stage to press the ceremonial buzzer, officially unveiling the stand named in his honour. “It will be a surreal feeling when I come here and play for Mumbai Indians. It will be even more special when I represent the country again, whenever that happens,” Rohit remarked during the event.
Clearly moved, Rohit thanked his family, saying, “To have this honour in front of my mom and dad, my brother and his wife, and my wife very special people in my life I’m so grateful for the things they’ve sacrificed for me to stand here.”
Joining legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Vijay Merchant, Rohit is now immortalized at Wankhede the stadium where many of his career-defining moments have taken place.
Rohit also brought his trademark humour to the occasion, acknowledging the presence of his Mumbai Indians teammates, who were waiting to begin their practice session. “Of course, not to forget, my very special team, Mumbai Indians, is also here. I’m pretty sure they’re waiting for my speech to end so they can start training! Thank you for coming and supporting,” he quipped.
He concluded by thanking the MCA for the honour: “Special thanks to Sharad Pawar sahab and Fadnavis sir for being here and making it so special. I will never forget this day.”
A New Chapter Post-Test Retirement
This recognition comes just over a week after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket, closing the chapter on a remarkable 67-Test career during which he amassed 4301 runs at an average of 40.58. He served as India’s Test captain until his retirement. The BCCI is expected to announce his successor soon.
In a significant moment for Indian cricket, Virat Kohli also followed suit by announcing his retirement from Test cricket shortly after Rohit’s decision, signaling the end of an era.
