Rohit Sharma's Parents Inaugurate Stand with His Name at Wankhede

In a truly touching moment at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday, Rohit Sharma invited his parents – Mrs. Purnima and Mr. Gurunath Sharma – onto the stage to do the honors of pressing the button and officially inaugurating the ‘Rohit Sharma Stand’.

MCA recognizes Rohit Sharma’s contribution 

The inauguration was the formal unveiling of a decision taken earlier by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), which had resolved during its AGM to name stands after three iconic figures: Rohit Sharma, former India skipper Ajit Wadekar, and ex-BCCI president Sharad Pawar. As per that resolution, Level Three of the Divecha Pavilion now proudly bears Rohit’s name, while Levels Three and Four of the Grand Stand have been dedicated to Pawar and Wadekar respectively. 

With this honor, Rohit joins the ranks of some of Mumbai cricket’s greatest names – Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Vijay Merchant – all of whom have stands named after them at the Wankhede. For Rohit, who grew up in Mumbai and rose through the city’s cricketing ranks to eventually captain India across all three formats, this recognition is deeply meaningful. “This reflects our deep respect for the pillars of Mumbai cricket and our determination to build an even stronger future,” MCA president Ajinkya Naik had said earlier this week. 

The timing of the inauguration added a special layer of significance. Just days before, Rohit had announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing the curtain down on a long and storied red-ball career. The 38-year-old had already stepped away from T20Is last year after leading India to a triumphant T20 World Cup win in Barbados – his second T20 world title after the 2007 edition. In recent years, Rohit’s legacy has been shaped not just by the trophies he lifted, but also by the heartbreaks he endured. He led India to the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, where the team was dominant throughout the tournament before falling to Australia in the decider. That loss stung, but India struck back in style about 18 months later, winning the Champions Trophy co-hosted by Pakistan and the UAE. 

However, Rohit’s exit from Test cricket wasn’t without its rough patches. After India suffered a shock home series defeat to New Zealand – something that had never happened before – and were then thrashed by Australia in an away series, questions began swirling. Still, his contributions to Indian cricket across formats can’t be overstated. From a young prodigy in Mumbai to the captain of the national team, Rohit’s name on the Wankhede stand is a fitting tribute to an incredible journey.