Senior India batter Ajinkya Rahane announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect on Thursday, saying that the time is right for him to "move on". Rahane has not featured for India since the away Test series against the West Indies in 2023.
"Today, I feel the timing is right for me to move on and announce my retirement from international cricket and all formats," Rahane said in a social media post. In a post on Instagram he wrote, "Cap 278 signing off. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. Forever grateful."
Despite falling out of the national selectors' radar, Rahane has been active in the domestic circuit and led Mumbai until the 2024-25 season.
The veteran batter scored 5,077 runs in Test cricket, including 12 centuries and 25 half-centuries, and was regarded as one of India's most dependable middle-order batters.
Rahane last played for India in 2023, when he returned to the Test side for the tour of the West Indies. His final ODI appearance came against England in 2018, while he last represented India in T20 internationals against the West Indies in 2016.
Despite falling out of the national-team, Rahane continued to feature prominently in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League. He remained a regular for Mumbai in red-ball cricket and also captained Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL over the last couple of seasons.
Rahane's career was marked by his calm temperament, solid technique and ability to deliver under pressure, qualities that made him a key member of the Indian Test side for several years.
His finest hour as a leader came at the Gabba in January 2021, when he captained a weakened Indian side, missing Virat Kohli and several frontline bowlers, to a historic Test win over Australia at their fortress, sealing a 2-1 series victory. That Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph is widely regarded as one of Indian cricket's greatest overseas achievements.
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