NEW DELHI: Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who endured a lean patch with the bat in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, shared a heartfelt message ahead of the 50th anniversary of the iconic Wankhede Stadium, set to be celebrated on January 19.
Reflecting on his deep connection with the historic venue, Rohit expressed pride and nostalgia, recalling his journey from playing age-group cricket to creating unforgettable moments with the Indian team and Mumbai Indians.
“Hello everyone. On 19th of January this month, Wankhede will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. It’s a very, very proud moment for all the Mumbaikars especially who are involved in Mumbai cricket for so many years. Personally for me, I have a very, very special connection with this ground. So many memories. I started playing my age group cricket at this very venue. And since then, till now, it’s been a wonderful journey, Rohit said in a video posted by Mumbai Cricket Association on their X handle.
Highlighting Wankhede’s evolution and its indelible mark on Indian cricket, Rohit extended his wishes for continued success and cherished memories at the beloved ground.
“So to see Wankhede grow over the years. When I played for the first time, the old stadium, it had its own charm. And now, you know, this venue right now has special memories involved with Indian cricket, Mumbai Indians and age group cricket of Mumbai Cricket Association. So I just want to wish everyone the best for the coming years as well. And hopefully we can create more and more memories at this very venue. Thank you,” he added.
In a determined bid to regain form ahead of the Champions Trophy, Rohit spent around 45 minutes practicing with the Mumbai team at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday morning.
“He batted for almost 45 minutes on the centre wicket in a match simulation environment. He started with throwdowns, followed by some batting in match simulation, during which he faced Mumbai’s fast bowlers and spinners. However, he has still not conveyed to the Mumbai Cricket Association whether he will play in Mumbai’s (sixth round) Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir on Jan 23, as he’s still double-minded about playing the Ranji match. That’s a red-ball game, and the Champions Trophy in Feb, where he’s likely to lead India, will be a white-ball, limited overs event,” a source told TOI.
Rohit, who expressed his desire to train with the Mumbai team to head coach Omkar Salvi, last played for Mumbai way back in a Ranji Trophy match in 2015 against Uttar Pradesh.