Ajinkya Rahane Retirement: Ajinkya Rahane, a stalwart of Indian cricket and a renowned Test specialist, has announced his retirement from international cricket. Rahane had not played an international match for India in the last few years; effectively out of the team for some time, he has now suddenly announced his retirement. He made this announcement via social media. The Indian team is set to play a Test series against Sri Lanka soon, and the squad has already been announced—a list that did not include Rahane. It is believed that following this, Rahane gave up hope of a comeback and decided to retire.
Last match for India played in 2023
Ajinkya Rahane, who displayed exceptional form in Test cricket for Team India, will no longer be seen in international cricket. Rahane played across all three formats—Test, ODI, and T20 International—for India, though Test cricket remained his preferred format; he even captained the Indian team in several matches. He played his final match for India in 2023, having been out of the squad prior to that. He officially announced his retirement through an Instagram post.
International debut made in a T20 match
Although Rahane is considered a Test specialist, his international debut for India was actually in a T20 International match. He made his debut in this format in August 2011, though his stint in the format was short-lived; his last T20 match was in 2016. In September 2016, he played his first ODI for India. He fell out of the ODI squad after 2018 and was unable to make a comeback. Rahane made his Test debut in 2013.
A look at Rahane’s career
Ajinkya Rahane’s career was most prominent in Test cricket. Following his debut in 2013, he continued to play Test cricket until 2024. During this period, he played 85 matches and scored 5,077 runs, including 12 centuries and 26 half-centuries. In ODIs, he played 90 matches and scored 2,962 runs, recording three centuries and 24 half-centuries. He played only 20 T20 International matches, scoring 375 runs, including one half-century.
Captaincy Record
Ajinkya Rahane captained India in a total of six matches; the team won four of them, while two ended in a draw. Team India did not lose a single match under his captaincy. It was under his leadership that Team India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia in 2021.
What Rahane Said in the Video Post
Rahane, a stalwart of Team India, appeared quite emotional in the social media post he shared. In the video, he spoke about his time with the Indian team and how he gave his all for the country. Rahane stated that the time had come for him to move forward in his career. Although he is bidding farewell to international cricket, he intends to remain connected to the sport. Rahane remarked that the reality of life is that everything has a beginning and an end; when the right moment arrives, one simply has to respect it and move on.
