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Ajinkya Rahane, considered one of the most calm, composed, and reliable players in Indian cricket, has finally announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Rahane, who led Team India to an unforgettable victory in Australia in the historic 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, shared an emotional message on social media, ending his two-decade-long cricketing career. His decision marks the end of a chapter in Indian cricket that will always be remembered for its courage, patience, and team spirit.

Announcing his retirement, Rahane wrote, “Cap No. 278 is here.” He expressed gratitude to his fans, teammates, and everyone associated with Indian cricket, saying that every beginning has an end and that he feels now is the right time to move on. He said that he always relied on perfect timing when batting, and now is the right time to retire.

Rahane, who rose from Dombivali in Mumbai to the Indian team, said that his childhood was spent with a single dream: to one day represent the country in the Indian jersey. He always put the country and the team above himself and played cricket with complete integrity. He believed that if the intentions are pure, the game always supports you.

The 2020-21 Australia tour is considered the most golden chapter of Rahane’s career. After India were all out for 36 runs in the Adelaide Test and Virat Kohli returned home, the team was under immense pressure. In such a difficult time, Rahane took over the captaincy and instilled new confidence in the team with a brilliant century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Under his captaincy, the young and injury-plagued Indian team created history by defeating Australia 2-1 in their own backyard. This is why he is still called the Hero of Melbourne.

Rahane has long been India’s most reliable batsman in overseas conditions. He played 85 Tests, 90 ODIs, and 20 T20Is in his international career. He has 5,077 runs, 12 centuries, and 26 half-centuries in Test cricket. He scored 2,962 runs in ODIs, including three centuries and 24 half-centuries. He also scored 375 runs in T20Is. Across all three formats, Rahane has amassed 8,414 international runs and 15 centuries for India.

He was a key part of the Indian team that reached the semi-finals of the 2015 World Cup. He also made significant contributions to India in the 2023 World Test Championship cycle. However, after playing his last Test against the West Indies in July 2023, he did not receive a second call-up. He attempted to make a comeback with consistent performances in domestic cricket, but his dream of returning to the national team remained unfulfilled.

In his farewell message, Rahane said that cricket has shown him both victory and defeat, but one place he never lost was the love of the people. He said that he now wants to pass on his experiences and the values ​​he learned from the game to the next generation of players so that Indian cricket can continue to reach new heights.

Ajinkya Rahane may no longer be seen batting on the field, but his calm captaincy, his determination to shoulder responsibility in difficult situations, and his historic innings in Melbourne will always be etched in Indian cricket history.