Last Updated:
Shikhar Dhawan shared a heartfelt tribute, including a video of him doing the iconic thigh-five at the Wankhede Stadium.
Shikhar Dhawan. (PTI Photo)
Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan commemorated the 50th anniversary of the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai with an Instagram post on Sunday.
The stadium’s construction began in 1974 at the behest of S. K. Wankhede, a politician and the secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association. It took just 13 months and opened in time to host the final bilateral Test of the 1974-75 series between India and the West Indies in 1975.
In his post, Dhawan shared an aerial view of the stadium and a video of him doing the typical thigh-five in response to the chants of ‘Gabbar, Gabbar’ from the crowd.
“Half a century of the iconic Wankhede Stadium, with so many unforgettable moments. ‘India! India!’ ki awaaz… Wankhede ki hawa mein aaj bhi woh Josh hai! ❤️ #50YearsOfWankhede,” Dhawan wrote in the post, saying the ground’s air still has the same passion.
Dhawan just played three ODIs and a Test at the Wankhede Stadium, scoring two half-centuries against South Africa and Australia, respectively.
Many former cricketers, politicians and citizens of Mumbai have offered their tributes on the ground, which has witnessed some of the most famous moments in Indian cricketing history. Recently, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had also expressed feeling ‘very, very proud’ to have spent a big share of his career here.
“Hello everyone. On 19th of January this month, Wankhede will be celebrating its 50th anniversary,” Rohit said in a video posted by Mumbai Cricket Association on their X handle. “It’s a very, very proud moment for all the Mumbaikars especially who are involved in Mumbai cricket for so many years. Personally, for me, I have a very, very special connection with this ground. So many memories. I started playing my age group cricket at this very venue. And since then, till now, it’s been a wonderful journey.”
“So to see Wankhede grow over the years. When I played for the first time, the old stadium… it had its own charm. And now, you know, this venue right now has special memories involved with Indian cricket, Mumbai Indians, and age group cricket of Mumbai Cricket Association. So I just want to wish everyone the best for the coming years as well. And hopefully, we can create more and more memories at this very venue. Thank you,” he added.