Sanjay Manjrekar slams MCA for new Ravi Shastri stand

Ahead of the Mumbai Indians’ next clash of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has scheduled a ceremony to name a stand after the former Indian spinner and head coach, Ravi Shastri, at the iconic venue.

The same ceremony will also be special for India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain, Suryakumar Yadav, who will be felicitated by the Maharashtra CM, Devendra Fadnavis, for his contribution to the trophy, while the MCA will also pay tribute to the Mumbai stalwarts.

Manjrekar’s remark on MCA decision grabs attention

Along with the stand under the press box being named after Shastri, Gate number three will be called after Dilip Sardesai. Meanwhile, gates five and six will also be named after Diana Edulji and Eknath Solkar. But the former Mumbai batter, Sanjay Manjrekar, seems not to be pleased with the inauguration.

The MCA had named stands after their iconic players, Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Rohit Sharma, in the past. And now, another local player is getting the same recognition.

Following the announcement, Manjrekar made a quirky and debated comment against the MCA on his X account (formerly known as Twitter). Even though he didn’t take any name publicly, he seemed to be frustrated with the latest achievement of the former Indian coach.

“Requesting @MumbaiCricAssoc to keep some gates & stands for future managements also, to name after players.” The former Indian batter wrote with a smile at the end of it.

Ravi Shastri stand unveiling becomes talking point among fans

The news of the ‘Ravi Shastri stand’ has become a talking point among the fans. The former spinner talked about his first experience of coming into the ground and how his mother reacted to the latest development.

“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 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 added.

The ceremony will take place on April 09, three days before the Hardik Pandya-led side's next fixture against RCB.