Wankhede Stadium, home of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), has seen several floodlit matches. However, Sunday’s celebration of the Wankhede Stadium’s 50th anniversary brought about a completely different ambiance with sparkling lights.
Legendary cricket players Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Diana Edulji, Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, and Sachin Tendulkar shared their experiences of the stadium and the reasons it has particular meaning for them.
Rohit, the current ODI captain and captain of India, who won the T20 World Cup, gave the fans his word that his side will not let them down in the Champions Trophy, which will begin in the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan on February 19. “I have no doubt that the desires of 140 crore people will accompany us when we arrive in Dubai. “Here at the Wankhede, we’ll try to win it and bring the [ICC Champions Trophy] back,” Rohit said.
The World Cup victory in 2011
Tendulkar considered winning the 2011 ODI World Cup to be the most memorable event of his life, even though he had unique memories of playing his first Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat in 1988 and his 200th Test match against the West Indies at Wankhede in 2013. “That [2011 World Cup victory] was without a doubt the highlight of my life.” When I entered the Wankhede today, I had the same feelings,” Tendulkar said.
Gavaskar noted that pride fills his chest as he thinks back to his first trip to Wankhede. Our dressing room was moved downstairs when the Wankhede Stadium was constructed in 1974. It was like love at first sight when we first set foot on the land for a practice session. We were playing in the Brabourne Stadium, which was owned by the Cricket Club of India, before then. However, it seemed like Mumbai cricket’s home field when I arrived. When you have a home field, the atmosphere is always different. Every time I come for commentary, I still have that emotion,” Gavaskar said.
Shastri’s motivation
In 1985, Shastri, a former all-rounder for Mumbai and India, showed off his aggressive approach by hitting Baroda left-arm spinner Tilak Raj for six sixes in a single over, revealing how he was influenced by West Indies great Garry Sobers.
A coffee table book on the history of Wankhede Stadium and a postal stamp about the stadium’s legacy were both produced by the MCA Apex Council.
Along with its past presidents Sharad Pawar and Ashish Shelar, MCA President Ajinkya Naik and his Apex Council also congratulated all of the Mumbai cricket players who went on to represent India. MCA also congratulated architect Shashi Prabhu, senior coach Vilas Godbole, who was a member of the Bombay Cricket Association’s governing committee in 1974, and the late Sheshrao Wankhede’s [former president] daughter Ramola Wankhede Mahajani. There were laser displays, musical performances, and cultural events that evening.
