'An unreal feeling' - Rohit on MCA's Wankhede stand gesture

ROHIT AND WANKHEDE

'An unreal feeling' - Rohit on MCA's Wankhede stand gesture

by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on

Rohit unveiled the third edition of T20 Mumbai. © Mumbai Cricket Association

Rohit Sharma is overwhelmed by the Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) gesture of naming a stand after him. "Now to sit back and think that there is going to be a stadium stand in my game, it is such an unreal feeling. It is something that I have never thought of and I will be forever grateful for this big honour in my life," the India captain said while unveiling the third edition of T20 Mumbai, an IPL-style franchise-based league of the MCA.

After a recent general body meeting, the association said the Level 3 stand of the Divecha Pavilion at the Wankhede will be named after Rohit.

"When you start playing the game, you don't know how long you are going to play the game for; let alone all these milestones and achievements that you achieve while playing the game. But to get this kind of honour, having a stand named after you, is something that I cannot imagine. But once I see my name there on the stand, it will be a very emotional moment for me and like I said, from not having to enter the stadium and now to have a stand, those two moments, so much has happened between these two moments so I am forever grateful," Rohit said.

He further reflected on the issue. "No one dreams of things like this when they are just starting off playing cricket. I still remember those days when I used to stand outside (the) Wankhede Stadium just to enter and watch Mumbai Ranji Trophy team practice; I am talking about 2004 or maybe 2003.

"We used to finish our U-14, U-16 training at Azad Maidan. Me, with a few of my friends, we used to travel across the railway track to go and just get a glimpse of some of the Ranji Trophy cricketers. I know how tough it was to get inside the Wankhede Stadium back then. Even now, obviously, no random (people) will be allowed inside the stadium. But those were the days. I am just trying to remember now.

"And then I played my first game at Wankhede. It was such a big honour because we only watched international games being played at Wankhede. And now to go there and experience the stadium, watch some of these greats taking the field and playing there was another different experience for me. Since then, there has been so many memories playing at the stadium.

"I think in 2008 or 2009 the stadium got revamped. We won the World Cup there, the final, I was not part of it but I watched it from home. It was a special feeling to watch that (game) and since then there has been so many memorable games that have been played."

The T20 Mumbai League is set to begin on May 26, a day after the IPL final on May 25. The eight-team tournament, comprising 20 matches, will run until the first week of June. Internationals such as Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Prithvi Shaw, and Sarfaraz Khan among others will feature as icon players. Rohit Sharma has been named the brand ambassador of the league.

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