India ODI captain Rohit Sharma was emotional on Friday as a stand at Wankhede Stadium was named after him. At the ceremony, attended by his family, teammates, and officials, the Mumbai Cricket Association also honoured former India captain Ajit Wadekar and former BCCI president Sharad Pawar.

Rohit’s parents unveiled the stand bearing his name—a moment he said he had never imagined.

“I had never dreamt of what was going to happen today,” Rohit said, visibly moved. “You try to achieve a lot of milestones, but something like this is really special, because Wankhede is an iconic stadium and so many memories have been made here.”

Rohit, who recently retired from Test cricket on May 7 and stepped away from T20 Internationals after leading India to a historic T20 World Cup win in 2024, now only plays ODIs.

“To have my name here with the greats of the game and one of the world’s best political leaders, I cannot express the feeling. I am super grateful,” he added.

As he looked ahead to playing at the stadium for Mumbai Indians on May 21 in the IPL, Rohit reflected on the surreal nature of representing India in front of a home crowd with a stand named in his honour.

“It will be surreal to play when I play on 21st and have a stand here. It will be special when I represent the country here,” he said.

The emotional ceremony also saw Rohit paying tribute to his support system—his family. With his parents, brother, and wife by his side, Rohit acknowledged their sacrifices throughout his journey.

“It’s going to be even more special to have my family here. I am grateful and thankful for whatever they have sacrificed for me.”

Also in attendance were his Mumbai Indians teammates, including the coaching staff and players who paused their training to witness the moment.

“My special team MI is also here, waiting for my speech to be over and start training,” Rohit joked with a smile. “Special thanks to Pawar Saheb and Devendra Fadnavis, makes it very special. It’s a very special day.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, present at the event, lauded Rohit’s achievements and hinted at a promising future for Mumbai cricket fans.

“Our iconic batter, captain and one of my favourites, and one who mesmerizes with his batting is present here,” the CM said. “If there is a proposal from MCA for a new stadium, we will allot space for that to accommodate more fans.”

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