‘Shastri’s snub from Wankhede honors surprising’ – Shishir Hattangadi urges MCA to re-examine oversight

Former Mumbai captain Shishir Hattangadi urged the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to commemorate former India head coach Ravi Shastri at the Wankhede Stadium. In May, the MCA unveiled stands named after India ODI skipper Rohit Sharma, former India skipper Ajit Wadekar, and former BCCI President Sharad Pawar at the Wankhede Stadium.

Hattangadi has written to the MCA and urged the state cricket body to name something after the former Indian all-rounder at the Wankhede. He stated that Shastri’s omission was surprising and insisted his legacy is well known.

“I must express my surprise and concern at the omission of Ravi Shastri, former India captain, all-rounder, and national coach, from the list of names commemorated at the stadium. His legacy is well known—not just the iconic feat of hitting six sixes in an over in a first-class game, following in the footsteps of Sir Gary Sobers—but also for his impactful career as a player and his significant role in shaping modern Indian cricket as a coach,” Hattangadi wrote to MCA President Ajinkya Naik, as per The Times of India.

“This omission, intentional or not, overlooks a major chapter in Mumbai and Indian cricket’s story. I do not wish to delve into statistics, as Shastri’s legacy is not just in numbers but in the influence he has had on the game—both on and off the field,” he added.

Hattangadi also called for a re-examination of the oversight in not naming anything after Shastri at the iconic Mumbai venue while emphasizing his tremendous impact on Indian and Mumbai cricket requires such recognition.

“As someone who deeply respects the administration and its role in preserving the sport’s heritage, I urge the MCA to re-examine this oversight. A richer understanding of cricket’s history and the personalities that shaped it will only strengthen our future,” Hattangadi wrote.

“With warm regards and continued respect. This is an observation and not a political statement,” he concluded.

Shastri played 80 Tests and 150 ODIs for India, scoring 6,938 runs and picking up 280 wickets. He was also part of the 1983 World Cup winning squad and was named the Player of the Tournament in India’s 1985 World Championship of Cricket winning campaign. He also levelled up Sir Garry Sobers’ record of six sixes in an over during a Ranji Trophy game in January 1985.

Shastri was part of the Indian team as coach during the two Test series wins Down Under (2018-19 and 2020-21) and the Men in Blue also reached the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup under his coaching.

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