MCA To Name Wankhede Stands On Former Players!! Rohit Sharma Nominated
Published - 08 Apr 2025, 04:41 PM | Updated - 08 Apr 2025, 05:54 PM
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The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is in a fix to name the stands after several of the players at the Wankhede Stadium after many requested them. MCA received proposals from its club members to name the stands in different places on the ground.
The likes of past presidents, Sharad Pawar and late Vilasrao Deshmukh, as well as the late Indian captain Ajit Wadhekar, late Eknath Solkar, late Dilip Sardesai, late Padmakar Shivalkar, former India captain Diana Edulji, and current India captain Rohit Sharma.
MCA to name stands after renowned players.
The MCA president, Ajinkya Naik, has expressed tthat he final decision will be taken by the general body members.
“There have been suggestions from members, and the final decision will be taken by the general body members of the Mumbai Cricket Association.” President Naik told the Indian Express.
In its Apex Council Meeting of the board, the association has discussed one of the stands after Rohit Sharma, who won the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy in six months. It’s a feat that no Mumbai players have achieved as Indian leaders.
The board has one unattributed grandstand above the President’s box, which they can name inside the stadium. One of the finest openers, Sunil Gavaskar, is a common man’s stand.
In case of the West Stand is named after Vijay Merchant, while the North has the glorious light of Dilip Vengsarkar and Sachin Tendulkar. For the media gallery, the late Shiv Sena leader, Bal Thackeray, has the place. In 2022, the MCA decided to have a life-size statue of Tendulkar inside the ground.
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Ex-MCA office-bearer demands a stand named after this player
The former BCCI and MCA office-bearer, Ratnakar Shetty, has demanded to have a stand after the 1971 West Indies hero Ajit Wadhekar, who passed away seven years ago. His contribution to the game for Mumbai has been immense. They wanted to name a lounge after him a few years ago, but his family requested to have a stand instead.
“They 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.” Shetty explained.
“He deserves more than anybody else, after all, he was India Test captain, and under him, Mumbai won many Ranji Trophies. He served as an MCA office-bearer and played roles at multiple levels. The issue needs to be looked at again.” The former MCA bearer expressed.
Mumbai Association is waiting for the AGM’s approval
As the rules state, the Mumbai association is waiting for the AGM’s approval, which is scheduled to take place on April 15, and the final call will be taken after that.
They have already named the indoor academy in Bandra, followed by the library after Pawar, a BCCI and ICC president. Although the members want the stand to be named after him inside the stadium.
There have been requests from the club to name a two-foot bridge that allows the fans to enter the stadium from the east side. The ground recently hosted the IPL 2025 clash between the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where the visiting side earned a narrow win over the home side by just 12 runs. They are at third position.
