Follow UsRecently, we saw Rohit Sharma being bestowed with a stand in his name at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Along with him, the former India captain Ajit Wadekar and former BCCI president Sharad Pawar too were also felicitated with stands named in their honour.
Other than them, Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar also have stands at the Wankhede. However, former Mumbai captain Shishir Hattangadi has expressed surprise at Ravi Shastri not being given the same honour and has urged the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to rectify this.
"I must express my surprise and concern at the omission of Ravi Shastri, former India captain, all-rounder, and national coach, from the list of names commemorated at the stadium. His legacy is well known-not just the iconic feat of hitting six sixes in an over in a first-class game, following in the footsteps of Sir Gary Sobers-but also for his impactful career as a player and his significant role in shaping modern Indian cricket as a coach," Hattangadi wrote in his letter, as reported by Times of India.
Moreover, Shastri played a huge role as head coach of the Indian side, which oversaw one of the successful periods in history, including reaching the top of the ICC Test rankings. Notably, he built a good rapport with skipper Virat Kohli, along with whom Shastri took India to great heights.
"This omission, intentional or not, overlooks a major chapter in Mumbai and Indian cricket's story. I do not wish to delve into statistics, as Shastri's legacy is not just in numbers but in the influence he has had on the game - both on and off the field," Hattangadi further wrote
"As someone who deeply respects the administration and its role in preserving the sport's heritage, I urge the MCA to re-examine this oversight. A richer understanding of cricket's history and the personalities that shaped it will only strengthen our future," he wrote.
"With warm regards and continued respect. This is an observation and not a political statement."
Shastri played 80 Tests and 150 ODIs for India between 1981 and 1992, during which he scored nearly 7,000 international runs and picked up 280 wickets.