Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane on Thursday announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect, bringing an end to a distinguished career spanning 85 Tests, 90 One-Day Internationals and 20 T20 Internationals. The 38-year-old shared the decision through a social media post, saying the time was right for him to move on from representing India at the international level.
Rahane made his international debut in 2011 and established himself as one of India's most dependable batters, particularly in overseas Test matches. Renowned for his calm temperament and technically sound batting, he played a crucial role in several memorable victories away from home. His final international appearance came during India's Test series against the West Indies in July 2023.
One of the defining moments of Rahane's career came when he led India to a historic Test series victory in Australia during the 2020–21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Taking over the captaincy after the first Test, he guided the injury-hit Indian side to a remarkable 2-1 series win, highlighted by his century in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne. The triumph is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in Indian Test cricket.
Across his international career, Rahane scored more than 5,000 Test runs, including 12 centuries, while also making valuable contributions in the ODI format with three hundreds. Although he fell out of the national selectors' plans after 2023, he remained active in domestic cricket and franchise competitions, continuing to contribute as an experienced batter and leader.
Announcing his retirement, Rahane wrote "Cap 278 signing off," referring to his place among India's Test cricketers. His retirement marks the end of a career remembered for resilience, leadership and several match-winning performances, particularly in challenging overseas conditions.