Rohit Sharma Invites Parents to Unveil Wankhede Stand Named in His Honour
In a truly heartwarming moment at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday, Rohit Sharma invited his parents—Mrs. Purnima and Mr. Gurunath Sharma—on stage to press the buzzer and officially inaugurate the ‘Rohit Sharma Stand’. The emotional gesture came as part of a special ceremony honouring the Indian captain’s incredible contribution to cricket, especially his journey from the streets of Mumbai to leading the national side across all three formats.
The event marked the formal unveiling of a decision taken by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), which had earlier resolved during its Annual General Meeting to name stadium stands after three prominent figures: Rohit Sharma, former India captain Ajit Wadekar, and former BCCI president Sharad Pawar. As per the plan, the Level 3 section of the Divecha Pavilion now bears Rohit’s name, while the Grand Stand’s Levels 3 and 4 have been dedicated to Pawar and Wadekar respectively.
With this honour, Rohit joins an elite group of Mumbai cricket greats such as Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Vijay Merchant, who also have stands named after them at the iconic stadium. MCA president Ajinkya Naik had earlier said, “This reflects our deep respect for the pillars of Mumbai cricket and our determination to build an even stronger future.”
The timing of the event couldn’t have been more symbolic. Just days before the inauguration, the 38-year-old Rohit announced his retirement from Test cricket. He ends his red-ball career with 67 matches, 4301 runs, an average of 40.58, and 10 centuries to his name. As captain, he led India to the 2023 ODI World Cup final and back-to-back ICC triumphs in the T20 World Cup (2024) and Champions Trophy (2025).
Affectionately known as the ‘Hitman’, Rohit is set to return to action next Wednesday when Mumbai Indians take on Delhi Capitals at Wankhede. IPL 2025 resumes this Saturday following a short break, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru facing off against Kolkata Knight Riders.
