Veteran Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane has announced he will step down as captain, as he announced on social media on Thursday (August 21).
Ajinkya Rahane,
the current captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, has decided to step down as captain of the Mumbai Cricket team ahead of the domestic season.
The 37-year-old shared the news in a tweet, saying, "Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour. With a new domestic season ahead, I believe it's the right time to groom a new leader, and hence I've decided not to continue in the captaincy role. I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player and will continue my journey with Mumbai to help us win more trophies. Looking forward to the season. "
Rahane, known for his calm leadership, recently led Mumbai to the 2024-25 Syed Mustaq Ali Trophy title. His impressive 469 runs in the tournament showed he still has plenty to offer as a player.
The decision comes as the team prepares for the new domestic season, giving a chance for a new captain to step up. The cricketer, who also plays for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, may stay with the franchise as a player. This puts to rest rumors of a bigger exit.
Rahane's career highlights include leading India to a famous 2020-21 Test series win in Australia, proving his ability to handle pressure. His tenure included overcoming a prolonged form slump post-2022, with a remarkable resurgence in 2023 with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, suggesting his choice to focus on playing rather than captaining leverages his recent 469-run performance in the trophy win.
He has been a stalwart for Mumbai over the years, as well as for India. The 37-year-old has played across formats for India, and has 8414 runs across formats in national colours.
