India captain Rohit Sharma could get a stand named after him at the Wankhede Stadium, according to a report. Among active international cricketers, only Virat Kohli has a stand named after him. In 2019, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) named a stand at the Arun Jaitely Stadium in honour of Kohli. According to a report in the Indian Express, the MCA have received various requests from its board members to name “stands and walking bridges around the Wankhede stadium after renowned personalities.”
Rohit’s name will be discussed, but faces competition from other Mumbai greats, during MCA’s Apex Council meeting on April 15.
“The MCA has received requests and proposals from its club members to name stands or assorted places outside the stadium on its past presidents, Sharad Pawar, late Vilasrao Deshmukh, as well as late India captain Ajit Wadekar, late Eknath Solkar, late Dilip Sardesai, late Padmakar Shivalkar, former India captain Diana Edulji and current India captain Rohit Sharma,” the report stated.
“There have been suggestions from members and the final decision will be taken by the general body members of the Mumbai Cricket Association,” MCA president Ajinkya Naik told The Indian Express.
Rohit led India to two ICC titles (T20 World Cup in 2024 and Champions Trophy in 2025) in the last nine monts, a feat no Mumbai player has achieved as Indian captain.
As per the Indian Express, “the MCA currently has one unattributed Grand Stand available above its president’s box which they can name inside the stadium. The East Stand is named on one of India’s finest openers Sunil Gavaskar, which is a common man’s stand. West Stand is in the name of Vijay Merchant, North has been named after Dilip Vengsarkar and Sachin Tendulkar. The media gallery has been named after late Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray. In 2022, MCA decided to have a life size statue of Tendulkar inside the stadium.”
Former BCCI and MCA office-bearer Ratnakar Shetty has demanded a stand named after the legendary Ajit Wadekar, who died in 2018. A few years, the MCA wanted to name a its lounge after Wadekar. However, the request was denied by his family, who wanted a stand named after him.
“MCA wanted to name the lounge after him, this issue of naming a stand after him has been pending for the last four years. We have raised this again. The Grand Stand which is above the president’s box is the ideal place as it doesn’t have any other names in the stand. He deserves more than anybody else after all he was India Test captain, and under him Mumbai won many Ranji Trophies. He served as MCA office-bearer and played roles at multiple levels. The issue needs to be looked at again,” Shetty was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.
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