New Delhi: Team India swashbuckling opener Rohit Sharma will be an emotional man when he witnesses the unveiling of the stand named after him at the iconic Wankhede Stadium of Mumbai, a place that has seen him grow as a cricketer. The inauguration ceremony has been scheduled on Friday evening at 4:30 pm by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), which will be giving a fitting tribute to their very own local lad.
The Level 3 stand of the Divecha Pavilion at Wankhede has been renamed the Rohit Sharma Stand, honouring India’s ODI captain at his home ground. The decision was taken by the MCA last month during their 86th Annual General Meeting (AGM) as officials cited Rohit’s immense contribution as a player and a leader to Mumbai and Indian cricket as the prime reason for this honour.
Rohit had made his Test debut for India in 2013 and became the full-time skipper of the team in 2022. He has now joined a handful of legends, including Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Vijay Merchant, who already have stands named after them at the Wankhede. Under Rohit’s captaincy, India won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025. He has played 46 first-class matches, 17 List A games, and 25 T20s for Mumbai.
A boy from Borivali is having a stand named after him at Wankhede.. 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬 💙#PlayLikeMumbai #MumbaiIndians pic.twitter.com/mrXtJESViu
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 16, 2025
RO at Wankhede always HITs different ✨🥹#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai pic.twitter.com/Shi9d525GL
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 16, 2025
The ceremony was originally scheduled for May 13 but was deferred due to the brief suspension of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, owing to the military hostilities between India and Pakistan. As the situation gradually stabilised, MCA decided to hold the ceremony on the eve of IPL’s resumption (May 17).
Several dignitaries, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, MCA President Ajinkya Naik and veteran politician Sharad Pawar, will reportedly be present for the gesture. The MCA will also take the opportunity to honour former BCCI president Pawar and ex-cricketer Ajit Wadekar, dedicating them the Grand Stand Level 3 and Grand Stand Level 4 respectively.
Why Ajit Wadekar and Sharad Pawar’s stands?
For the unversed, Ajit Wadekar used to be a stylish batter for Team India, who came at no. 3 and was one of the finest fielders at the slip cordon. He has led India to historic Test series wins in the West Indies and England in 1971. He represented India in 37 Tests and two ODIs between 1966 and 1974, making his first-class debut in 1958-59. He breathed his last aged 77, on August 15, 2018.
Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar has been a long-time cricket administrator in India who served as the president of the BCCI from 2005 to 2008 and played a vital role in bringing the 2011 ODI World Cup to India, which the Men in Blue eventually won after 28 years.
On Friday, it will be moment full of emotions when Rohit Sharma will finally get to see a stand dedicated to him at the iconic Wankhede Stadium of Mumbai, a place nothing short of a temple for him! Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
