Virat Kohli has joined the lengthy list after sending a poignant letter to his former Test deputy that made everyone feel nostalgic. The intimate relationship between the two was made clear in the special tweet, which also explained why India prospered when they were in the middle order and leadership group.
In a special video message for supporters and the media on Thursday morning, Ajinkya Rahane declared his retirement from playing international cricket. The former middle-order hitter had a memorable day as his teammates and supporters honoured him on the internet.
From 2011 until 2023, Kohli and Rahane played an incredible 78 Test matches together. On the pitch, their mutual regard and chemistry were always apparent.
Like in the past, Virat Kohli publicly expressed his adoration for Rahane in the tweet, calling the Mumbai batsman his favourite Test batting partner.
In addition, he referred to Rahane as the safest set of hands in slips, citing his 102 catches in 85 Test matches for India.
“Jinks, congrats on a fantastic career, my friend. You should be extremely proud of your career and the amazing things you have done for Indian cricket. My favourite Test batting partner and the safest pair of hands in the slips. I’ll always wish you well. “God bless. @ajinkyarahane88,” Virat Kohli wrote on X.
Jinks, congratulations on a great career, buddy. You’ve done wonders for Indian cricket, and you can be very proud of your journey. The safest pair of hands in the slips and my favourite Test batting partner. Wishing you well always. God bless. 🤝🇮🇳@ajinkyarahane88 pic.twitter.com/bHGaas41gO
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 30, 2026
Why did Virat Kohli refer to Ajinkya Rahane as his preferred Test batting partner?
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have hit more Test runs for India than any other duo since Rahane’s debut. The Indian middle order flourished in the middle to late 2010s thanks in large part to the pair.
When they played together for the first time in December 2013, they added 68 runs for the fifth wicket against South Africa in Johannesburg. For the next ten years, India’s numbers four and five dominated.
They batted together for 67 innings, scoring 3661 runs at an average of 56.32 for India. Ten century stands and seventeen fifty stands are included in this.
Their greatest pairing occurred in Indore, 2016, against New Zealand. Rahane joined Kohli at 100/3, and together they batted New Zealand out of the game with a 365-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Rahane scored a career-high 188 (381), Kohli scored 211 (366), and India finished at 557/5.
As captain and vice-captain, they also worked well together, with Rahane being the more composed player and Kohli being the more assertive.
Rahane led India in six Test matches while Kohli was away, winning four and drawing two. This includes the iconic Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020–21, in which India won the series despite Kohli taking a paternity leave following the Adelaide fiasco.
The international statistics of Ajinkya Rahane
Rahane became one of the most important players in India’s Test dominance during his playing career, as Virat Kohli noted in his speech.
Rahane amassed 5077 runs at an average of 38.46 with 12 hundreds and 26 fifties in 85 Test matches before to declaring his retirement. Despite his poor average, he was India’s most reliable batter from 2014 to 2018, especially when playing abroad.
In addition, he scored 2962 runs in 90 ODIs, including 3 hundreds and 24 fifties in the middle order. He participated in 20 Twenty20 Internationals and amassed 375 runs, including a fifty.
Only a few weeks after his incredible comeback to Test cricket in the WTC 2023 final, where he scored 89(129) and 46(78) under trying circumstances at The Oval, Rahane last represented India at Port of Spain in 2023.
