Former Indian international batter Ajinkya Rahane has retired from international and all forms of cricket after a career spanning more than a decade. The announcement was made with an emotional video posted to his social media accounts on Thursday.
Rahane played for India in all three formats from 2011 to 2023, featuring in 85 Test matches, 90 One-Day Internationals and 20 T20 Internationals. His last international match for India was in July 2023 during the Test series against West Indies.
Emotional Farewell Message
Rahane said while announcing his retirement, Time has always played an important role in batting for him and he felt that it was time to leave the game.
He remembers how he used to travel from Dombivli for cricket practice and expressed that donning the Indian jersey was his ultimate dream. You were my idols and still are. Rahane expressed gratitude for all the people who supported him in his career, including BCCI, Mumbai Cricket Association, teammates, coaches, IPL franchises, family members, friends and fans.
While Rahane has hung up his boots, he wishes to stay involved in the game by mentoring youngsters and sharing with them all that cricket has taught him.
Career Numbers
Test Cricket
- Matches: 85
- Runs: 5,077
- Batting Average: 38.46
- Centuries: 12
ODI Cricket
- Matches: 90
- Runs: 2,962
- Batting Average: 35.26
- Centuries: 3
T20 Internationals
- Matches: 20
- Runs: 375
- Batting Average: 20.83
- Strike Rate: 113.29
Historic Leadership in Australia
A turning point of Rahane’s career was India’s iconic 2020-21 Test tour of Australia .
Regular captain Virat Kohli returned home on paternity leave after India’s embarrassing dismissal for a paltry 36 in Adelaide. Rahane stepped up to the captaincy in challenging conditions and performed brilliantly.
India’s series win came off the back of his memorable Test century at Melbourne where India bounced back and won the series 2-1, winning a historic triumph in Brisbane. It is now widely considered one of the greatest overseas Test series wins for Indian cricket.
Outstanding Overseas Performer
Rahane built a record as not just easily among India’s best batters in overseas conditions.
Some of his 12 Test centuries came outside India, eight to be precise, which shows how comfortable he was on difficult overseas pitches. Hundreds in countries (that are unforgettable):
- New Zealand
- England
- Australia
- Sri Lanka
- West Indies
The century at Lord’s in 2014 and match-winning innings as he fashioned a win for Australia from an unpardonable position (0-6) at the MCG in 2020 have remained two of the best knocks we witnessed during his career.
ODI Success
While Rahane’s ODI debut came before his Test entry, it was during India’s 50-over tour of England in 2014 that he finally made an impact on the ODI stage.
He smashed his first ever ODI century of 106 and helped India to win the series in Edgbaston.
Later Years
With younger players coming in and consistency being hard to come by, Rahane’s regular place in the Indian team diminished since 2017.
He returned with a bang for the World Test Championship Final against Australia as he became the top scorer for India in the match in 2023. His international career was brought to an end with only two Test matches under his belt.
IPL Career Ends Too
This also brings the curtain down on Rahane’s T20 domestic career. His last match in a competitive game was having played for the Kolkata Knight Riders, during IPL 2026.
He had captained KKR for the last two seasons with the franchise failing to make a mark in both times, placed 7th in IPL 2026 and 8th in IPL 2025. Jerzy Janowicz announces retirement from all forms of cricket, leaving Kolkata Knight Riders without a captain ahead of their next season.
A Career Remembered
Ajinkya Rahane is one of the most calm and reliable middle-order batters for India away in Test matches. Bana is among the most influential modern-day cricketers from India, owing mainly to his calmness during the unforgettable year of 2020–21 Australia tour and for playing a key role in multiple unforgettable victories.
Rahane’s playing days may be over but he has said that he would like to pass on what he’s learned to the next generation of cricketers, keeping him involved in the game post-retirement.
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