Ajinkya Rahane, the former vice-captain of India's Test team, has announced his retirement from international cricket, and the news set off an emotional social media post from former India captain Virat Kohli. Kohli called Rahane the safest partner in the slip cordon and his favourite Test batting partner while saluting his career. The post was quickly shared widely among cricket fans, reflecting how significant this partnership has been in Indian Test cricket.
Kohli calls Rahane his favourite batting partner
Virat Kohli wrote on social media, "Jinx, congratulations on a phenomenal career, brother." Kohli went on to say that Rahane had done incredible things for Indian cricket and could be immensely proud of his journey. He wished Rahane well always and hoped he stays happy. The 38 year old Rahane, fondly known as "Jinx" in cricketing circles, served as vice-captain of the India Test side led by Kohli. His retirement is being seen as the end of a disciplined, calm and gritty chapter in Indian cricket.
Yuvraj and Harbhajan also pay tribute
Yuvraj Singh wrote on Instagram, "Jinx, congratulations on a phenomenal career." He added that Rahane is among the finest cricketers of his generation, someone who represented the country across all formats and successfully led the side in some of the biggest matches. Yuvraj said Rahane delivered on every occasion and wished him good luck ahead. Harbhajan Singh praised Rahane's calm temperament, writing that he was a top quality cricketer who always took immense pride in the game. Harbhajan said Rahane's biggest legacy will always be leading India to that historic Test series win in Australia, along with countless memorable innings, and wished him a happy retirement.
Suryakumar Yadav's emotional farewell to a teammate
Suryakumar Yadav, who played alongside Rahane for Mumbai in domestic cricket for years, also paid tribute. He wrote that sharing the field and the dressing room with Rahane had been an honour, and that Rahane's calmness, courage and commitment to the game had inspired many of his teammates. Suryakumar wished Rahane and his family the very best for this new innings.
The 2020-21 Australia tour, the golden chapter of his career
The defining chapter of Rahane's career was written on Australian soil during the 2020-21 tour. After India suffered a heavy defeat in the first Test in Adelaide and Virat Kohli returned home, the captaincy fell to Rahane. Leading a young, injury-hit Indian side, Rahane relied on his calm demeanour and precise tactics to guide India to a historic 2-1 Test series win in Australia. His captain's century in Melbourne proved to be the turning point of the tour, one that completely shifted the momentum in India's favour.
Rahane's career, in numbers
Ajinkya Rahane made his international debut for India in 2011 and went on to represent the country across all three formats. In Test cricket, he played 85 matches, scoring 5,077 runs with 12 centuries and 26 half-centuries. In One Day Internationals, Rahane amassed 2,962 runs from 90 matches, including 3 centuries and 24 half-centuries. In T20 Internationals, he scored 375 runs for India across 20 matches. With these numbers, Rahane's name sits among the Indian cricketers who steadied the team in moments of crisis and delivered results when it mattered most.
