Watch| Rohit Sharma Vows to Bring Champions Trophy 2025 to Wankhede Stadium

​​​​​​​The doyens of Mumbai cricket, including Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Ravi Shastri, attended the glittering ceremony hosted by the Mumbai Cricket Association.

India captain Rohit Sharma posed with the Champions Trophy, which was displayed at the Wankhede Stadium during the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the iconic venue in Mumbai on Sunday, January 19.

The doyens of Mumbai cricket, including Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Ravi Shastri, attended the glittering ceremony hosted by the Mumbai Cricket Association.

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In a viral video online, Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri are seen telling Rohit Sharma to come closer for the Champions Trophy.
 

However, the India captain declined their invitation sweetly, keeping the seniors under the limelight. Sachin Tendulkar, Shastri, and Gavaskar posed right behind the coveted trophy, while Rohit stood on the extreme left of the stage.

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Rohit, however, did not hide his intentions, stating that he and his team would do their utmost to bring the Champions Trophy back to the Wankhede Stadium, hinting at potential celebrations in Mumbai.
 

Notably, India celebrated their T20 World Cup triumph last year with a roof-top bus parade along Marine Drive in Mumbai. The parade culminated in a glittering felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium.

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"We will start another tournament. I am sure when we reach Dubai, the wishes of 140 crore people will be behind us, we know that," Rohit said, eliciting thunderous applause from the Wankhede Stadium crowd.

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"We will try and do everything we can to bring this trophy back here to the Wankhede," he added.

Rohit Sharma has been included as the captain of India's 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy, starting on 19 February. Shubman Gill was made the vice-captain of the team that includes Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar announced the squad in Mumbai on Saturday, 18 January.

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ROHIT RECALLS MUMBAI PARADE

Meanwhile, Rohit remembered the glamorous bus parade that took place following India's victory in the T20 World Cup. Rohit said he did not have even a slight doubt about the Indian team celebrating the win in Mumbai right after meeting with the Prime Minister in New Delhi.

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Thousands witnessed the bus parade, where Rohit, Virat Kohli, and former coach Rahul Dravid were centre stage and took the hearts with their energetic celebration.

"I remember, we were still in Barbados after winning the World Cup, and we were stuck there due to a storm, but planning was in process as to what we would do once we were back in India.".

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"It was planned that we would go to Delhi, but what after that? No one knew what to do after that, but I wanted that World Cup (trophy) should come here to Wankhede. Each of the recent World Cups we have won in 2007 and 2011 has been celebrated at Wankhede, and bringing the trophy of 2024 was also very important for us," he added.

They conclude with a thrilling win over South Africa in Barbados on June 29.

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India takes on Bangladesh at Dubai on Feb 20, then Pakistan on Feb 23. On March 2, India takes on New Zealand in the final league game. This could turn out to be Rohit's final ICC event. The India skipper was in the 2007 T20 World Cup team but missed out on the 2011 World Cup. He, however, played for the MS Dhoni-led side that won the 2013 Champions Trophy in England.

Pakistan, who will host the next edition of the tournament, won the last edition of the Champions Trophy by defeating India in the final at London in 2017.

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