Ajinkya Rahane’s retirement from all three format of international cricket has marked the end of an era for Indian cricket. While fans will remember his calm batting and memorable performances overseas, one remarkable achievement from his career has once again become the talking point.
It is a record that even some of India’s greatest captains could not match.
The 36-year-old announced his retirement from all three international formats through social media, bringing the curtain down on a career that began in 2011 and produced several unforgettable moments for Indian cricket.
Rahane confirmed his retirement by posting ‘Cap No. 278, signing off’ from social media.
Over the years he became one of the most trusted middle order batsmen of India, especially in the Test format. His cool approach and ability to perform in alien conditions made him an integral part of the Indian setup for over a decade.
Although his unbeaten century at Melbourne during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy remains one of his greatest knocks, his record as captain deserves equal recognition.
Whenever Rahane led India, the team never lost a match.
He captained India in six Test matches, winning four while the remaining two ended in draws. His unbeaten record was not limited to Test cricket.
During India’s ODI tour of Zimbabwe in 2015, Rahane was handed the captaincy after MS Dhoni was rested. Under his leadership, India completed a 3-0 series sweep, giving him three wins from three ODIs.
That means Rahane finished his international captaincy career with seven wins and two draws across nine matches, without suffering a single defeat.
Even legendary Indian captains such as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar could not maintain an unbeaten record during their captaincy tenures.
Rahane was never India’s first-choice captain. He stepped into the role only when circumstances demanded it.
Whenever Virat Kohli was off the field due to injury or whenever he went back home after the Adelaide Test on the 2020-21 Australia tour, stand-in captain Rahane was always there.
His finest achievement came during that historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
After India were bundled out for just 36 in Adelaide, Rahane responded with a magnificent century in Melbourne to level the series. He then guided an injury-hit Indian side to a famous victory at The Gabba, ending Australia’s 32-year unbeaten record at the venue and helping India seal one of the greatest Test series wins in cricket history.
Rahane played 85 Tests for India aggregating in excess of 5,000 runs, with 12 centuries. He also chipped in with useful contributions in ODIs and T20Is whenever the team needed stability in the middle order.
His calm personality, willingness to lead under pressure and ability to come good in difficult overseas conditions earned him immense respect from the teammates and fans alike.
Rahane may not have captained India for long but his leadership record remains unique.
In Marathi, the name Ajinkya translates to ‘unconquerable’ or ‘one who cannot be defeated’. Interestingly, his captaincy record reflected exactly that. Though his opportunities as captain were limited, he made every one of them count and leaves international cricket with an unbeaten record that remains one of the rarest achievements in Indian cricket