Ajinkya Rahane Announces Retirement from International Cricket

Veteran India batter Ajinkya Rahane has officially announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a distinguished career that spanned more than a decade. The 37-year-old shared the news through a video message posted on social media on Thursday.

Rahane made his international debut for India in 2011 and went on to serve the national team across all three formats for 12 years. During his career, he played 85 Test matches, 90 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and 20 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). His last appearance for India came in the Test series against the West Indies in July 2023.

One of the most memorable chapters of Rahane’s career came during India’s historic 2020-21 Test tour of Australia. After India suffered a dramatic collapse for 36 runs in the opening Test at Adelaide, Rahane stepped in as captain in the absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli. Under his leadership, India bounced back remarkably to win the series 2-1, a triumph widely regarded as one of the greatest overseas achievements in Indian cricket history.

Rahane ends his Test career with 5,077 runs from 85 matches at an average of 38.46, including 12 centuries. In ODIs, he scored 2,962 runs in 90 matches at an average of 35.26, with three hundreds to his name. He also represented India in 20 T20Is, scoring 375 runs at a strike rate of 113.29.

As a Test captain, Rahane led India in six matches, winning four and drawing the other two, remaining unbeaten as skipper in the format.

Announcing his decision, Rahane said, “Today, I feel this is the right time for me to move forward and announce my retirement from international cricket in all formats.”

Rahane is currently in the United Kingdom, where he has been working as a commentator for The Hundred. While his international journey has now come to a close, he leaves behind a legacy of calm leadership, resilience under pressure, and several memorable performances in Indian cricket.