After playing in 85 Tests, 90 ODIs, and 20 T20Is, Ajinkya Rahane announced his retirement from international cricket on July 30, 2026. With the 38-year-old’s departure, a chapter that began in 2013 and included one of the most significant captaincy eras in Indian cricket history came to a close. Rahane’s record remained exceptional despite the fact that his leadership occurred during a period of extreme hardship for India.
Ajinkya Rahane’s contributions to Indian cricket have been commended by renowned cricket player Sunil Gavaskar, who compared him to another former captain. “His record as a captain is exceptional, with four wins out of six and no losses,” Gavaskar said, highlighting how Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy exploits have gone underappreciated despite their significance.
Rahane’s leadership seldom received the recognition it deserved, much like Rahul Dravid, who also had some incredible victories while captain but never received the acclaim he deserved. Indian cricket is characterized by this.
In his essay Mid-Day, Gavaskar wrote, “When the team wins, all the credit goes to the individual performers, whether they are bowlers or batsmen, but when the team loses, the coach and captain are held accountable.
The persona and legacy of Ajinkya Rahane
Rahane’s leadership was evident during India’s 2020–21 tour of Australia, which was marked by difficulties from the start. After getting bowled for 36 in the opening Test match, India had a difficult task before of them. Virat Kohli left while he and his wife awaited the birth of their first child, and a number of team members had injuries during this period that limited the resources available.
Taking advantage of this weakness, Ajinkya Rahane helped India pull off an amazing comeback. India won the Test immediately following the collapse in Adelaide thanks to a century from Ajinkya Rahane. “After the depressing collapse of 36 all out in the first Test of the 2021 series Down Under, it was Rahane and Ravi Shastri who picked the team from the dumps.”
The team ultimately won the series 2-1, including a historic victory at Australia’s fortress venue, the Gabba, which India had never won before. “In fact, in the final Test of the series, when most of the top players were unavailable due to injury, India pulled off one of its greatest victories in Test cricket,” Gavaskar wrote.
“The vice-captain took over a ship that was ready to sink and not only sailed it into calmer waters but also gave India an unprecedented first win at Australia’s fortress ‘The Gabba’ and with it the series victory too.” If necessary, it demonstrated once more that no one is essential in this game. With his head held high and the heartfelt gratitude of cricket fans for his completely selfless performance, Rahane departs the game.
There aren’t many cricket players who can claim to have had no opponents during the match. To the best of my knowledge and expertise, there might be less than a dozen. “With his usual humility, Ajinkya Rahane can take his place there,” he said.
