The iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, a venue etched in the history of Indian cricket, celebrated its golden jubilee with a grand event organized by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) on Sunday.

The evening saw a star-studded gathering of cricketing legends, including India’s captain Rohit Sharma, who shared his heartfelt dreams and aspirations ??for the stadium and Indian cricket’s future.

Rohit Sharma’s dream: Bringing the World Cup to Wankhede

The Wankhede Stadium, synonymous with some of cricket’s most unforgettable moments, has witnessed legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, and now Rohit creating history. For Rohit, the stadium holds a deep emotional connection, having grown u??p playing cricket in its confines.

During the event, Rohit shared his long-cherished dream of bringing the World Cup trophy to Wankhede, a sentiment rooted in the triumphs of the past. He recalled his dream of bringing the T20 World Cup to Wankhede, inspired by the 2007 victory in South Africa.

Reflecting on the 2024 T20I World Cup win, he mentioned being stranded in Barbados for three days due to a storm and tornado during which India team discussed their plans for returning to India and what to do next when they will land back to hom??e.

“In 2007, when we came back after winning the T20I World Cup in South Africa, I had a small dream of bringing the World Cup here once. When we won the World Cup, I remember we were in Barbados. We were stuck there for three days due to a storm and tornado. We were planning what to do when we go back to India,” Rohit said at the event.

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Celebrating past triumphs and eyeing future glory

Rohit further revealed that the team planned to visit Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi but were unsure of what would follow. He expressed his desire to bring the 2024 World Cup to Wankhede St??adium in Mumbai, as previous World Cup celebrations in 2007 and 2011 were also held there, making it significant to continue the tradition.

“The plan to go to Delhi was decided, but what after that? Nobody knew anything. I wanted the World Cup to come to Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. We won three World Cups recently. When we won in 2007 and 2011, the celebration was held at Wankhede. It was important to bring 2024 as well over here,” he added.

Eyes set on the Champions Trophy 2025

Rohit also spoke about the upcoming Champions Trophy in 2025 set to be held in a hybrid format in Pakistan and the UAE from February 19 to March 9. He expressed confid?ence in the support of 140 crore Indians and pledged to give their best to bring the Champions Trophy to Wankhed??e Stadium.

“We will try our best… I am sure that the wishes of 140 crore Indians will be behind us when we land in Dubai for the Champions Trophy. We will try to do well and bring the Champions Trophy 2025 to the Wankhede Stadium,”  the Indian team captain concluded.

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Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has disclosed that he has not spoken to former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni in over ten years. Harbhajan, known for his fiery performances on the field, revealed this surprisin??g detail about his relationship with the wicket-keeper b?atter during a recent interview.

No communication for over a decade 

Harbhajan revealed that he has not spoken to Dhoni in the past 10 years, except during their time together at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League, where their interactions were limited to the field. He mentioned there was no personal communication outside the ground and no visits to each other’s rooms, adding he doesn’t know the reason for this distance.

“No, I don’t speak to Dhoni. When I was playing at CSK, that’s when we spoke, but otherwise, we haven’t spoken. It’s been 10 years and more. I have no reason; perhaps he does. I don’t know what the reasons are. When we were playing in the IPL at CSK, that’s when we used to talk, and that, too, was restricted to the ground. After that, he did not come to my room, nor did I go to his,” Harbhajan said in a conversation with News18.

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Lack of connection

Harbhajan clarified he has no issues with the person in question and believes they would have spoken up if they had concerns. The veteran spinner doesn’t ??call people who don’t reciprocate his efforts, as he values mutual respect and responsiveness in relationships. If his calls go unanswered, he limits interaction to necessary occasions.

“I don’t have anything against him. If he has something to say, he can tell me. But if he did, he would have told me by now. I never tried to call him because I have a lot of passion. I only ring up those who pick up my calls. I don’t have the time otherwise. I stay in touch with the ones I am friends with. A relationship is always about give and take. If I respect you, I hope you will respect me back. Or you respond to me. But if I call you once or twice but don’t get a response, I will probably only meet you as much as I am needed to,” the former Indian cricketer added.

On-field partnership, off-field distance

Harbhajan and Dhoni shared a remarkable partnership on the field, playing together for over a decade. They were instrumental in India’s triumphs at the 2007 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and the 2011 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup. Harbhajan also played under Dhoni’s leadership during his IPL stint with the Chennai Super Kings, contributing to their title-winning campaign in 2018. However, despite these shared milestones, their off-field camaraderie appears to have been limited.

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