Shetty urges MCA to honor Wadekar at Wankhede

A veteran cricket administrator, Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, has called on the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to honor former India captain Ajit Wadekar by naming something at the Wankhede Stadium after him. Shetty made this appeal during the MCA's annual prize distribution event. Wadekar captained India to historic Test series victories in the West Indies and England in 1971. Shetty spoke about Wadekar’s significant contributions to Indian cricket while accepting the 'Lifetime Achievement Award for Administration' at the Sharad Pawar Indoor Academy in Mumbai. During his speech, Shetty expressed gratitude to the MCA for their support throughout his career and emphasized the need to recognize Wadekar’s legacy. He stated, "He was one of the greatest India captains and I think it’s time that we give that honor to him also." This is not the first time such a request has been made. In February 2022, Shetty suggested naming the Grandstand above the ‘President’s Box’ at Wankhede Stadium after Wadekar, who passed away in 2018. Wadekar's widow, Rekha, had also encouraged the MCA to name their upcoming museum in his memory. At the recent event, MCA also honored Pravin Barve, along with former India captains Dilip Vengsarkar and Diana Edulji, with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award.' Vengsarkar was not present to receive the award.