Wankhede Stadium witnessed an emotional and light-hearted celebration on Friday, May 16, as Indian cricket star Rohit Sharma was honoured with a stand named after him by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). In a ceremony attended by cricket legends and dignitaries, former India head coach Ravi Shastri stole the show with his trademark wit, offering Rohit a cheeky challenge that left everyone in splits.
Ravi Shastri comes up with a humorous message for Rohit Sharma
As the event progressed and formalities were underway, Shastri, known for his animated commentary and charismatic personality, walked up to Rohit with his trademark swagger. The two shared a warm embrace, a moment that reflected the camaraderie they had built over years in the Indian dressing room.
After greeting Rohit with a warm hug, Shastri delivered a line only he could: “Smack on that,” pointing towards the newly unveiled stand. The quip, perfectly timed and delivered in Shastri’s iconic tone, sent Rohit into a fit of laughter. The Indian ODI captain then responded, “Yeah, look forward to that.” The light-hearted exchange quickly became a highlight of the evening and drew plenty of reactions on social media.
Here is the video:
Ravi Shastri asking Rohit Sharma to hit the ball in the stand named after him.
Rohit be like “ho jayega”
pic.twitter.com/RhBytnmnIc
— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) May 16, 2025
Also WATCH: Rohit’s parents and wife Ritika in tears as MCA inaugurates Rohit Sharma stand at Wankhede
An emotional moment for the Indian skipper
Rohit, accompanied by his proud parents who had the honour of unveiling the stand, addressed the crowd with visible emotion. The Hitman confessed that he had never imagined such a tribute in his lifetime.
“I had never dreamt of what was going to happen today. You try to achieve a lot of milestones, but something like this is really special, because Wankhede is an iconic stadium and so many memories have been made here,” said Rohit.
In addition to Rohit, the MCA also paid tribute to two other stalwarts — former India captain Ajit Wadekar and ex-BCCI president Sharad Pawar. Reflecting on this, Rohit remarked, “To have my name here with the greats of the game and one of the world’s best political leaders, I cannot express the feeling. I am super grateful.”
