Mumbai: On Friday, a wet-eyed Rohit Sharma thanked his parents in an emotionally filled voice, then escorted them to the stage, unveiling the stands at Wankhede Stadium and showing her son’s name in bold letters.
Rohit is not a superstar cricketer, but a loving son, the ultimate recognition of the sacrifices his parents made to help him achieve his dream.
Rohit said at a ceremony organized by the Mumbai Cricket Association: “To bring my family, parents, brothers, and wife here, it will become even more special. I thank them for everything they sacrificed for me.”
The 38-year-old then watched his father and mother from the side with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, imposing a switch to lift the veil from the Rohit Sharma stall and accompanied by colorful fireworks and confetti showers.
Rohit’s wife, Ritika, stood beside him, exuding a bright smile, radiating her pride and satisfaction.
In addition to Rohit, former Indian captain Ajit Wadekar and former BCCI president Sharad Pawar were also honored with the name of sacrifice.
For Rohit, it was a moment he dreamed of from his childhood, the same as some of the towering names of Indian cricket.
He was also driven to the core.
“I never dreamed about what will happen today. As a kid, I wanted to play for Mumbai in India. For me in the greatness of the game, I couldn’t express it in words.
“It’s special too, because I’m still playing. I’ve retired from two formats, but I’m still using one format,” he said.
But for those who make cricketers, Rohit has another wish.
Rohit added: “When I was on the 21st (playing for the Mumbai Indians of the IPL), it would be surreal, here to stand by, and when I am here to represent this country, it would be special.”
Rohit has retired from T20IS after serving the country with an outstanding attitude and retired in cricket.
It was special for him, too, as Wankhede was a place that shaped his dream of cricket.
“I never dreamed about what was going to happen today. You tried to achieve a lot of milestones, but similar milestones are really special because Wanked is an iconic stadium that leaves a lot of memories here.”
“Special thanks to Pawar Saheb and Devendra Fadnavis for a very special day, it was a very special day,” he said.
But the former Indian captain quickly fell into his own progressive self, knowing that the Mumbai Indians have not blocked the IPL playoff spot.
He smiled and said, “My special team is here too, waiting for my speech to end and start training.”
Later, his Indian and MI teammate Suryakumar Yadav paid tribute to Rohit.
“Congratulations @rohitsharma45 for achieving incredible things on the cricket field, from the Terminator to the Opener to our Captain, you’ve always been an inspiration and our pride.
“Very few leaders lead from the front and change the game in a better way. You are the leader who not only changes the game, but also changes the game, attitude, attitude, the atmosphere in the locker room, the team, and redefines the captain’s role.
“As I said before, good things happen to good people, you deserve more.
Fadnavis said his government would allocate land if the MCA makes recommendations to the new stadium.
“Our iconic batsman, the captain and one of my favorites, and one who is here to charm his bats,” CM said.
He added: “If the MCA proposes a new stadium, we will provide it with space to accommodate more fans.”
