Wankhede Stadium to name Level 1 stand that hosts commentators’ boxes, after Ravi Shastri

“We have decided to name a stand on Ravi Shastri. He has made great contributions in cricket in various roles. His name was discussed in Mumbai’s Apex Council and it was decided to go ahead and name the stand on him. The Apex Council has agreed to name gates on former India women’s captain Diana Edulji, late Dilip Sardesai and late Eknath Solkar. The MCA acknowledges their effort for Mumbai cricket over the years,” MCA president Ajinkya Naik said.

Earlier MCA had decided to name a stand honouring former India captains Rohit Sharma, and late Ajit Wadekar as well as its former president Sharad Pawar.

Diana Edulji told the Indian Express, “I would like to thank President MCA and the Apex committee for naming gate No 5 after me. It’s a double honour for me as naming the bridge after me not only recognises my cricket but also my contribution to Railway Sports.”

Ravi Shashtri’s first chirps

While Ravi Shashtri is known to the current generation as a commentator and coach, his tryst with getting chirpy at Wankhede dates back to his time as a player. Most significant was the 1984-85 Ranji Trophy final against arch rivals Delhi, right after Shastri had returned from winning the Champion of Champions in Australia – enjoying the most productive phase of his career. He snared twelve wickets in the match (including eight in the fourth innings) and top scored with 76 for the 90-run triumph.

Speaking to The Indian Express earlier, Shastri had recalled, “Bombay-Delhi were king games. There was needle, there was fire, there was constant chat. There was not an inch given… I’ve not forgotten that match till date, because it was the Ranji final. Stakes were very high and it was the two best teams competing. You could feel that intensity, a game between two serious sides.”

Delhi got 398, and when they took the first-innings lead, Delhi manager Sunil Dev announced that each member of the team would receive Rs 10,000 for ‘winning’ the Ranji Trophy. That had riled up Shastri, who took it upon himself to turn the tide, according to an earlier narration in this paper.

“In the evening after they had got the first innings lead, DDCA announced Rs 10,000 to each Ranji Trophy player. The same evening, I was seated in the dressing room and was having beer with Kiran Mokashi. Kirti (Azad) passed by and said ‘peelo, peelo bhai, 10,000 mil hi gaya hai, apna toh kaam ho gaya’. After he went, I told Dominic (Mokashi), yeh match banaana hai,” Shastri had recalled.

Delhi had to bat last on a pitch expected to aid spin towards the latter stages, giving Bombay a foot in the door. Shastri took Mumbai to 364/7, giving Delhi a victory target of exactly 300 in little over a day’s play.

“Delhi were one down at stumps and Chetan was batting,” Shastri recalls. “I told Dominic we will fight and only you and me have to bowl the next day. He was an off-spinner and I was a left-arm spinner. Ek-do nikaalenge jaldi, I feel match ban jayega. Next day, we got them all out. Kiran bowled from one end, he got one wicket, I got eight.”

Kiran Mokashi recalling the match had told The Indian Express, “Ravi and Delhi batsmen ka pura time chaloo tha (they were having a go at each other all the time). Ravi used to tell them, shot khel ke bata na? Kya tuk-tuk kar raha hai (Play some shots. Why are you blocking). Through that banter, we got Surinder and Kirti in quick succession. Surinder went to hit over midwicket but it went straight up in the air.

“We created pressure, Ravi created pressure orally. He was fired up and when we got three wickets, we felt we have a chance. Ravi was a very aggressive bowler. He will throw a challenge to the batsmen, needle them. Ravi used to provoke and I felt Delhi wanted to dominate him.”

The bombastic Bombay batter and bowler, will now have a stand to honour his bravado and brainy play.