MCA to reserve MS Dhoni’s iconic Wankhede seat for its U-16, U-19 scholarship players
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has decided to allot the two seats famously known as the ‘MS Dhoni seats’ to its scholarship students who have represented Mumbai in under-16 to under-19 cricket. A year ago, the MCA had decided to name the seat after former India captain MS Dhoni, who took India past the finish line in the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka with his trademark helicopter shot off Nuwan Kulasekara’s bowling. The ball had landed in the MCA Pavilion.
“We have decided that MS Dhoni’s seat will be given to our scholarship player who has represented Mumbai at the under-16 or under-19 level. This year, the MCA has decided not to sell the allotted seats; instead, they will be given to upcoming players who can draw inspiration from the legend and strive to achieve similar greatness,” MCA president Ajinkya Naik told The Indian Express.
The MCA provides scholarships to its emerging players, covering their training and development throughout the year.
Story continues below this ad
The iconic Wankhede Stadium has stands named after Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Vijay Merchant, in addition to the Polly Umrigar and Vinoo Mankad Gates. Recently, stands were also named after Indian ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma and the late Ajit Wadekar.
This was the first time a seat was named after a player, not just at the Wankhede, but anywhere in the country. However, similar tributes have been implemented outside India.
In 1993, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a seat in the Great Southern Stand was painted yellow to commemorate Simon O’Donnell’s 122-metre six for Victoria against New South Wales. In 2018, the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne painted a third-tier seat red to honour Big Bash League player Brad Hodge, who hit a 96-metre six in his final match before retirement.
Last season, the MCA identified the spot where Dhoni’s six landed and permanently marked the seat in his name. The seat was officially inaugurated Dhoni himself in 2024.
