Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane recently announced his retirement from all formats of the game, drawing the curtains on a career that spanned nearly two decades.
Tributes poured in from all corners, with fans and experts alike congratulating Rahane on an outstanding career that saw him amass over 8,000 international runs. Former India captain Virat Kohli also paid tribute to Rahane after his retirement, describing him as his “favourite Test batting partner” and “the safest pair of hands in slips.”
“Jinks, congratulations on a great career, buddy. You’ve done wonders for Indian cricket, and you can be very proud of your journey. The safest pair of hands in the slips and my favourite Test batting partner. Wishing you well always. God bless,” Kohli wrote on ‘X’.
The two orchestrated a golden period in Indian Test cricket, with the team topping the ICC Test rankings for nearly 42 months. Together, Kohli and Rahane played 67 Tests, sharing 3,661 runs, including 10 century stands.
Their highest partnership was a massive 365-run stand against New Zealand in the Indore Test in October 2016, during which Kohli scored a double century and Rahane made 188.
Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Rahane opened up about his memorable partnerships with Kohli, explaining how the two complemented each other despite their contrasting approaches.
Rahane also credited Kohli and then-head coach Ravi Shastri for transforming the fortunes of the Indian Test team, whose approach was centered on being proactive rather than reactive.
“When MS was going away from Test cricket, Virat and Ravi toughened up Indian cricket in Tests, especially in overseas conditions. The mindset was all about being bold and aggressive rather than defensive and reactive. We were always proactive,” Rahane said.
“Virat’s intensity matched well with my calm personality, and our open, honest conversations helped us build several important partnerships together,” he added.
Rahane announced his retirement from all formats three years since making his last appearance for India, having played an overall 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is from 2011-2023.