Rohit Sharma’s parents, wife break down at unveiling of his stand at Wankhede Stadium

Cricket star Rohit Sharma in a heartwarming ceremony on Friday thanked his family as a stand at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium was unveiled in his name. With moist eyes and an emotionally charged voice, Rohit escorted his parents onto the stage, acknowledging the sacrifices they made to help him pursue his cricketing dreams.

“It is going to be even more special, to have my family here – parents, brother, wife. I am grateful and thankful for whatever they have sacrificed for me,” said Rohit at the ceremony organised by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

The event saw Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis join Rohit and his parents to officially unveil the ‘Rohit Sharma Stand,’ amidst fireworks and confetti. Ritika, Rohit’s wife, stood beside him, beaming with joy.

The 38-year-old reflected on what the moment meant to him, describing it as a childhood dream come true.

“As a kid growing up, I wanted to play for Mumbai, for India. To have my name among the greats of the game, I cannot express it in words,” he said.

Rohit, who has retired from Test and T20I cricket but continues to play ODIs, added that the occasion held even greater meaning because it happened while he was still an active player.

“It will be surreal when I play on 21^st (for Mumbai Indians in the IPL) and have a stand here, it will be special when I represent the country here,” he added, hinting at his desire to play another ODI at the Wankhede.

The Wankhede Stadium holds special significance for Rohit, being the grounds where his cricketing journey began.

“You try to achieve a lot of milestones, but something like this is really special. Wankhede is an iconic stadium and so many memories have been made here,” said Rohit.

The cricket star also thanked former BCCI president Sharad Pawar and CM Devendra Fadnavis for making the occasion memorabl. Both Pawar and another former India skipper Ajit Wadekar were also honoured with stadium stands named after them.