Ajinkya Rahane has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect, ending a 12-year career in which he represented India in 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is.
His final international appearance came in a Test against the West Indies in July 2023.
One of the defining moments of his career was leading India to a historic 2-1 Test series victory in Australia in 2020-21 after the team's 36-run collapse in Adelaide. Rahane scored 5,077 Test runs, 2,962 ODI runs and 375 T20I runs, and captained India in six Tests, winning four and drawing two. Rahane's retirement also leaves Kolkata Knight Riders looking for a new captain after he led the franchise for the past two IPL seasons.
Announcing his retirement, Rahane said the timing felt right to step away from the game, describing it as the end of a journey that began with childhood trips from Dombivli to fulfil his dream of representing India. He said wearing the India cap was his greatest honour and that he now hopes to mentor the next generation.
Rahane enjoyed many of his finest moments overseas, scoring memorable Test centuries at Lord's, Melbourne and Wellington, and played a key role in India's historic 2020-21 Test series win in Australia. His final major international performance came in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia, where he was India's top scorer. He thanked the BCCI, teammates, coaches, family and fans for their support and is currently in the UK as a commentator for ‘The Hundred’.