Sanjay Manjrekar takes dig at MCA following Ravi Shastri Stand unveiling at Wankhede Stadium

Published - 09 Apr 2026, 19:28 IST | Updated - 10 Apr 2026, 00:19 IST

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has stirred conversation on social media after taking an indirect dig at the Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) decision to honour former all-rounder Ravi Shastri with a stand at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Ahead of the Mumbai Indians’ (MI) clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the MCA has planned a special ceremony to name a stand after Shastri. The event will also see India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav being felicitated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while tributes will be paid to several Mumbai cricket stalwarts.

As part of the initiative, the stand beneath the press box will bear Shastri’s name from now on, while Gate No. 3 will be named after Dilip Sardesai. Gates 5 and 6 are set to honour Diana Edulji and Eknath Solkar, respectively.

However, Manjrekar appeared to be unimpressed with the move and took to X (formerly Twitter) with a cheeky remark that quickly went viral on social media.

“Requesting the Mumbai Cricket Association to keep some gates & stands for future managements also, to name after players,” the former India batter wrote on X.

Requesting @MumbaiCricAssoc to keep some gates & stands for future managements also, to name after players. ☺️

Notably, the MCA has previously named stands after legendary figures like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Rohit Sharma to name a few. Meanwhile, Shastri reflected on his emotional connection with the venue and the honour bestowed upon him.

“The first time I came to the Wankhede Stadium, I was just 12. I took a bus and a train, found my way to the North Stand, and sat there watching cricket. That was 1974. I was a little boy, and I couldn’t stay the whole day. But that’s where it started, Wankhede’s famous North Stand, where the college and school students, along with coaches, sat together. The most knowledgeable crowd in the country,” Shastri told as quoted by The Indian Express.

“That’s where cricket was understood. When my mother heard that the stand would be named after me, no one was prouder. She is a cricket encyclopedia. She watches everything,” he further added.

The ceremony was held on Thursday, April 09, three days before the Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians take on RCB in their upcoming IPL 2026 fixture at the iconic venue.