Ajinkya Rahane announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket with immediate effect on Thursday through a social media post, bringing the curtain down on an illustrious career spanning 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is. The veteran batter last represented India in the second Test against the West Indies in July 2023.
Among the defining moments of Rahane's international career was his inspirational captaincy during India's historic 2-1 Test series triumph in Australia in 2020-21. Stepping in after the Adelaide Test, where India were dismissed for 36, Rahane guided an injury-hit side to one of the greatest overseas series victories in Indian cricket history.
Rahane finishes his international career of 12 years that spanned from 2011
to 2023 with 5077 runs at 38.46 with 12 centuries, 2962 ODI runs at 35.26 with three hundreds and 375 T20I runs at 20.83 with a strike rate of 113.29. He led India in six Tests, of which they won four and drew two.
"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. From those early days traveling from Dombivli as a young boy just to practice, I gave this game everything I had," Rahane said in an Instagram video.
More to follow.
