Veteran Indian batsman and former captain Ajinkya Rahane has announced his retirement from international cricket. Once a strong pillar of the Indian team across all three formats, Rahane had been absent from Team India for a long time. Rahane will always be remembered for leading Team India to victory in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy during the 2020-21 Australia tour. Despite the Indian team being bundled out for just 36 runs in Adelaide and Virat Kohli returning home on paternity leave, Rahane led the team to a 2-1 victory in the face of adversity.
The 38-year-old stylish batsman announced his retirement by uploading a video to social media on the morning of July 30. Rahane appeared emotional during the video, with tears clearly visible in his eyes.
“The reality of life is that everything has a beginning and everything has an end. When the time comes, you simply have to respect it and move forward. 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,” Rahane said in an emotional video.
“Cap number 278, signing off.”
Rahane made his international debut in 2011 with a T20 match against England in Manchester. A month later, he played his first ODI at Chester-le-Street. Two years later, in 2013, he was awarded his Test cap when the right-handed batsman played his Test debut against Australia in Delhi.
Rahane played 85 Tests, 90 ODIs, and 20 T20 Internationals in his career. In 144 Test innings, Rahane scored 5077 runs at an average of 38.46 and a strike rate of 49.50. In this format, he scored 26 half-centuries and 12 centuries. His highest score is 188. Rahane also captained the Indian team in six Tests. Under his captaincy, India won four Tests and two matches were drawn.
In 87 ODI innings, the batsman scored 2962 runs at an average of 35.26 and a strike rate of 78.63. He scored 24 fifties and three centuries in ODI cricket. In 20 T20 Internationals, Rahane scored 375 runs at a strike rate of 113.29.
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