Former India head coach Rahul Dravid delivered a heartwarming and humorous tribute to Rohit Sharma at the inauguration of the newly named ‘Rohit Sharma Stand’ at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium on May 16. With his trademark dry wit, Dravid joked that the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) had “no choice” but to name a stand after Rohit because he had hit “so many sixes” into that section of the ground.
Beneath the humour, though, was a deep acknowledgement of Rohit’s incredible contributions to Indian and Mumbai cricket. The MCA officially renamed the Divecha Pavilion Level 3 as the ‘Rohit Sharma Stand’ during a special ceremony, marking Rohit’s place among cricketing greats such as Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Vijay Merchant—all of whom also have stands named after them at Wankhede.
WATCH – Jasprit Bumrah Stuns Fans with Batting Brilliance in Nets: “Our New Opener?”
In a heartfelt video shared by Mumbai Indians on X, Dravid said, “Hey Rohit, guess you hit so many sixes into those stands that they had to name one after you! But seriously, congratulations. It’s a huge honor. I’m sure, as a young boy, you dreamt of playing at the Wankhede. You’ve not only played but delivered some iconic performances. I doubt you imagined one day a stand would bear your name, but it’s a fitting reward for all you’ve given to Mumbai and Indian cricket.”
Rahul Dravid’s message to RO got us like… 🥹💙
P.S. The humour at the start & end 😂👌#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai #RohitSharmaStand | @ImRo45 | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/sdnasfUIKi
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 17, 2025
Dravid and Rohit share a strong camaraderie, having worked closely during India’s T20 World Cup-winning run and their journey to the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Dravid signed off with a classic punchline: “Looking forward to seeing more sixes into the Rohit Sharma Stand. And now that you have one, when I’m short of tickets in Mumbai, I know who to call!”
ALSO READ: Ravi Shastri Rules Out Jasprit Bumrah for Test Captaincy, Suggests A Couple Of Youngsters
Additionally, the MCA also honoured two more legends of Indian cricket and administration—Ajit Wadekar and Sharad Pawar—by naming stands after them, further cementing their legacies at the historic venue.
