'Chest swells with pride' - Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Rohit share experiences of playing at iconic Wankhede Stadium
“It feels like a home ground, and that's truly a wonderful feeling. The chest swells with pride," said Gavaskar.
The Wankhede Stadium's 50th anniversary celebration on January 19 featured some of the greatest cricketers of all time who started their careers with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). The startling evening witnessed the legends sharing stories about their journey at the iconic venue which has hosted some of the greatest matches in international cricket.
The players at the memorable event included the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar who recalled and narrated the stories of the past. Tendulkar recalled watching a game between India and West Indies at the venue as a 10-year-old and also reminisced about the moment when India won the World Cup in 2011.
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“I came here as a 10-year-old boy with my school friends to watch India play the West Indies. I sat in the North Stand. The interesting part was, we were a group of 25 with only 24 tickets, and I was sneaked in because of my height. Sometimes, being short can be advantageous," Tendulkar said during the event.
“Without a doubt, it was the best moment of my life, The 1983 victory inspired me and I dreamt of one day holding the trophy myself. We came close in 1996 here in India and again in 2003 in South Africa, but finally, we crossed the last hurdle at Wankhede, my home ground." Tendulkar added.
Gavaskar also shared a few words at the venue and said that this was like a home ground for him and his chest swells with pride on how the venue has contributed towards Indian cricket.
“It feels like a home ground, and that's truly a wonderful feeling. The chest swells with pride," said Gavaskar.
India skipper Rohit Sharma, who also has a plethora of memories at the historic venue, shared what playing at Wankhede Stadium means for him.
"I've been playing here since I was 14. The Wankhede holds a special place for India, Mumbai, and the MI teams. The crowds here never let you down. After celebrating the 2007 T20 World Cup win at this ground, I dreamed of bringing another one home myself," he said.
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