Ajinkya Rahane has announced his retirement from “international cricket and all formats”.
The middle-order batter, who turned the Indian cricket team’s saviour on many challenging occasions and conditions, bows out with 8414 international runs and 15 centuries across formats.
That 10 of those centuries came away from home not only underlines Rahane’s ability to deliver under pressure, but also how significant his contribution has been for Indian cricket. His overall numbers may not look imposing in the hallowed corridor of Indian cricket, but in terms of impact, he would rank among the top few.
While Rahane’s last Test match was in July 2023 in the West Indies, his last competitive match was for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL earlier this year.
From 2011, his international career spanned 12 years, during which he authored many a noteworthy innings. However, the record that stands out in his time as a member of the Indian cricket team did not come with the bat. Rahane, as stand-in captain, led India in six Tests without losing a single one, winning four and drawing two.
Rahane will be remembered as the lionhearted captain who led the Indian team to a memorable series win. After India were bundled out for an embarrassing 36 in Adelaide and regular skipper Virat Kohli had to fly back home for the birth of his
first child, Rahane, as the stand-in captain, engineered a spirited fightback, setting an example with a glorious century in Melbourne.
To put it simply, Rahane’s leadership skills remained severely underutilised in the Indian team.
On Thursday, Rahane posted a video on Instagram to announce his retirement. “I’ve always relied on timing in my batting, and I’ve always understood its importance. Today, I feel the timing is right for me to move on and announce my retirement from international cricket and all formats.”
His philosophy of cricket was simple. “I lived by one simple rule: always put my country and my team ahead of myself. I played this game with complete honesty, and I have always believed that if your intent is right, the game will always take care of you.”
Looking ahead, the 38-year-old said: “While my chapter as an Indian cricketer comes to an end, my journey with the game doesn’t. I look forward to helping the next generation, sharing the values the sport has taught me, and giving back to the game that has given me everything.”
Calm and composed, Rahane never lacked in intent. That is why Kohli, reacting to his retirement, called Rahane his “favourite Test batting partner”, while Sachin Tendulkar rightly pointed out that he “never chased moments”.