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Ajinkya Rahane Retirement: Thursday, July 30, 2026, proved to be an incredibly emotional day for Indian cricket fans. Veteran batsman and former vice-captain of the Indian Test team, Ajinkya Rahane, announced his retirement from all formats of the sport, including international cricket. He shared this news through an emotional video on the social media platform Instagram.
Ajinkya Rahane Announces Retirement from All Forms of Cricket
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Ajinkya Rahane appeared visibly emotional while announcing his retirement. His voice choked up, and he seemed on the verge of tears while speaking in the video. With a heavy voice, he expressed his gratitude to the BCCI, his fellow players, his wife, and fans across the globe.
In the video's caption, Rahane wrote, "Cap 278 is now bidding farewell. Thank you for the love and support received over the years. I will remain forever grateful."
Ajinkya Rahane International Career and Debut
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Ajinkya Rahane began his international career with a T20 International match against England on August 31, 2011. However, he had been out of the Indian team for quite some time. He played his last international match, a Test against the West Indies in July 2023. Meanwhile, Rahane played his last ODI in 2018 and his last T20I in 2016.
Ajinkya Rahane Career Stats and Batting Records
Ajinkya Rahane's international career has been truly magnificent and memorable. He played a total of 195 international matches for India and scored 8,414 runs.
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 85 | 5,077 | 38.46 | 12 | 26 | 188 |
| ODI | 90 | 2,962 | 35.26 | 3 | 24 | 111 |
| T20I | 20 | 375 | 20.83 | 0 | 1 | 61 |
| Total International | 195 | 8,414 | -- | 15 | 51 | 188 |
Also Read: Will Hardik Pandya Leave MI Before IPL 2027?
Ajinkya Rahane Captaincy Record: Historic BGT Victory
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Ajinkya Rahane has written a golden chapter in the history of Indian cricket, not only with the bat but also through his captaincy. He captained India across all three formats (Test, ODI, and T20I).
- Test Captaincy: Rahane led the Indian team in 6 Test matches; India won 4 of them and drew 2 (with no losses). Notably, during the 2020-21 tour of Australia following the team's collapse for 36 runs in Adelaide, it was under Rahane's captaincy that India staged a remarkable comeback to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1.
- ODI Captaincy: Rahane captained the team in 3 ODI matches, leading India to victory in all of them.
- T20I Captaincy: In his 2 matches as T20I captain, he recorded one win and one loss.
Will Ajinkya Rahane Play IPL 2027?
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A major question on fans' minds was whether Rahane would continue playing in the IPL. Rahane has clarified this himself. Ajinkya Rahane has retired from all formats of cricket. This means he will not be seen playing in IPL 2027 or any subsequent IPL season.
It is worth noting that in a previous IPL season, he took the field as the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He enjoyed a highly successful IPL career, representing prominent teams such as Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, and KKR.
Also Read: ICC Updated Rankings: Shubman Gill Tops Chart, Rohit & Kohli Hold Top 5
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