Ajinkya Rahane says goodbye to cricket, will not play IPL either, shares an emotional post.
Veteran batsman Ajinkya Rahane has announced his retirement from all formats of cricket. The 38-year-old Rahane, who led India to a historic Test series win in Australia under his captaincy, announced his retirement by sharing an emotional message on social media.
Ajinkya Rahane, considered one of Indian cricket’s most dependable batsmen, has announced his retirement from all formats of the game. Sharing an emotional post on Instagram on Thursday, July 30, Rahane announced the conclusion of his splendid career. Rahane was the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the previous season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), but now he will not play in this T20 league either. Rahane clearly stated that he is retiring from all formats of cricket.
38-year-old Ajinkya Rahane wrote, ‘Cap number 278, it all ends here. Thank you all for the love and support received over the years. I will always be grateful to you.’ With this message, he expressed his gratitude towards his fans, teammates, coaches, and everyone associated with Indian cricket.
■ Click on it to see: Ajinkya Rahane’s Instagram Reel on Retirement
Hit with the bat as well as in captaincy
Ajinkya Rahane is among those select few Indian players who have captained Team India in all three formats of cricket. His captaincy record has also been spectacular. In Test cricket, he led India in six matches, out of which the team won four matches, while two matches ended in a draw. The special highlight was that under his captaincy, India did not have to face defeat in a single Test match. In ODI cricket, Rahane captained in three matches, in which India registered victories. Meanwhile, in T20 International cricket, he led the team in two matches, where India won one match and faced defeat in one.
Ajinkya Rahane played 85 Tests, 90 ODIs, and 20 T20 International matches for India. Combining all three formats, he scored 8,414 runs at an average of 35.95. During this period, 15 centuries and 51 half-centuries came from his bat. In the IPL, Rahane represented Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Rising Pune Supergiant, Delhi Capitals, and Mumbai Indians. Rahane scored 5,367 runs in 212 IPL matches at an average of 30.15. He smashed 2 centuries and 35 half-centuries in the IPL.
Secured a historic victory in Australia
The golden chapter of Ajinkya Rahane’s career was seen during the 2020-21 tour of Australia. Following India’s shameful defeat in the Adelaide Test and in the absence of Virat Kohli, he took over the captaincy of the team. He brought India back into the series by scoring a brilliant century in the Melbourne Test. Following this, a team filled with young players registered a historic victory at the Gabba ground in Brisbane, defeating Australia 2-1 in the Test series on their own home soil. This victory is counted among the most memorable achievements in Indian cricket history, and Rahane’s captaincy will always be remembered.
Rahane’s Test Career:
● 85 matches, 5077 runs, 38.46 average
● 12 centuries, 26 half-centuries, 49.50 strike rate
● 578 fours, 35 sixes
Rahane’s ODI Career:
● 90 matches, 2962 runs, 35.26 average
● 3 centuries, 24 half-centuries, 78.63 strike rate
● 293 fours, 33 sixes
Rahane’s T20I Career:
● 20 matches, 375 runs, 20.83 average
● 1 half-century, 113.29 strike rate
● 32 fours, 6 sixes
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