The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) officially honored Mumbai’s cricket heroes by renaming four parts of the famous Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday, May 16. The biggest moment was naming a stand after India’s ODI captain and Mumbai icon Rohit Sharma.
The Divecha Pavilion Level 3 at Wankhede Stadium is now called the Rohit Sharma Stand, which was inaugurated in the presence of several dignitaries, such as Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Sharad Pawar, on the stage along with the MCA officials.
On the other hand, the Grand Stand Level 3 is now known as the Sharad Pawar Stand, honoring the former BCCI and MCA president. The Grand Stand Level 4 has been renamed the Ajit Wadekar Stand, while the MCA also opened a new Office Lounge in memory of its former president Amol Kale.
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Emotional scenes as stand named after Rohit Sharma unveiled at Wankhede Stadium
Meanwhile, it was a heartwarming and proud moment for Rohit as the newly named stand at Wankhede Stadium was unveiled in his honor. However, the presence of his parents, wife Ritika Sajdeh, and brother made this special day even more memorable for the Hitman.
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The evening turned emotional as Rohit addressed the crowd with a heartfelt speech. But the most touching moment came when the seasoned Indian opener called his parents on stage to press the ceremonial buzzer and officially unveil the stand named after him at the Wankhede Stadium.
The entire Mumbai Indians squad was present at the Wankhede Stadium during the celebration. Ritika had tears in her eyes during the ceremony, reflecting the pride and joy of the occasion. It was not just a tribute to Rohit’s achievements on the field but also a celebration of the journey shared by his loved ones off the field.
Watch the emotional moment here:
Ritika Babhi in tears while inaugurating ROHIT SHARMA STAND. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/wkf9MXqqPg
— Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessCricket) May 16, 2025
Ajit Wadekar, who is known for his elegance at No. 3 and sharp slip fielding, led India to memorable Test series wins in England and the West Indies in 1971. Over his international career from 1966 to 1974, he played 37 Tests and 2 ODIs. He passed away in 2018 at the age of 77.
Sharad Pawar served as BCCI president from 2005 to 2008. Pawar played a key role in helping India secure hosting rights for the 2011 ICC World Cup, which was a major milestone for Indian cricket, and later the team won the cup after 28 years.
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Rohit Sharma’s name etched among Mumbai Cricket’s icons
With this gesture, Rohit Sharma joined the iconic list of cricketers who already have stands named after them at Wankhede — Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Vijay Merchant. As captain, Rohit won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025 for India. He has represented Mumbai in 46 first-class matches, 17 List-A games, and 25 T20s.
In nearly 500 international matches, Rohit has scored over 19,700 runs and hit 49 centuries. He is the only player with three double hundreds in ODIs, including the highest-ever score of 264. As captain, Rohit led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles, making him one of the most successful captains.
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