‘Shastri’s omission from Wankhede honours list unexpected’ – Shishir Hattangadi urges MCA to revisit the decision

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) should honour former India head coach Ravi Shastri at the Wankhede Stadium, according to former Mumbai captain Shishir Hattangadi. At the Wankhede Stadium, the MCA unveiled stands in May that were named after former India captain Ajit Wadekar, former BCCI President Sharad Pawar, and India ODI captain Rohit Sharma.

In a letter to the MCA, Hattangadi asked the state cricket organisation to invent a name for the former Indian all-rounder at the Wankhede. He argued that Shastri’s legacy is widely acknowledged and said that his exclusion was unexpected.

The fact that former India captain, all-rounder, and national coach Ravi Shastri was left off of the list of names honoured at the stadium must surprise and worry me.

According to The Times of India, Hattangadi wrote to MCA President Ajinkya Naik, “His legacy is well known—not just for the iconic feat of hitting six sixes in an over in a first-class game, following in Sir Gary Sobers’ footsteps, but also for his impactful career as a player and his significant role in shaping modern Indian cricket as a coach.”

Whether deliberate or not, this omission ignores a significant period in the history of Mumbai and Indian cricket. I don’t want to get into the stats because Shastri’s legacy isn’t limited to numbers; it also includes his impact on the game, both on and off the pitch,” he continued.

Along with highlighting Shastri’s enormous influence on Indian cricket and the need for such acknowledgement, Hattangadi also urged for a reexamination of the mistake of not naming anything after him at the famous Mumbai venue.

I implore the MCA to take another look at this error because I have a great deal of respect for the administration and its role in maintaining the history of the sport. Our future will only be strengthened by a deeper comprehension of cricket’s past and the figures who influenced it, Hattangadi wrote.

“With sincere gratitude and ongoing regard. He said, “This is an observation, not a political statement.”

Shastri scored 6,938 runs and claimed 280 wickets in 80 Test matches and 150 One-Day Internationals for India. In addition, he was a member of the team that won the 1983 World Cup and was voted Player of the Tournament after India’s successful campaign in the 1985 World Championship of Cricket. In a January 1985 Ranji Trophy match, he also equalled Sir Garry Sobers’ record of six sixes in one over.

In addition to leading the Men in Blue to the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup, Shastri was a member of the Indian team throughout their two Test series victories in Australia (2018–19 and 2020–21).