Ajinkya Rahane Retires From International Cricket

Former Indian Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket, bringing a close to a 15-year career marked by composure and key leadership moments. The 38-year-old confirmed his decision in a video posted to his social media accounts on July 30, 2026, stating he was retiring without regrets after giving his all to the game.

Rahane revealed that batting legend Sachin Tendulkar was the first person to call him following the announcement. According to Rahane, Tendulkar expressed surprise, saying he expected Rahane to play for longer. "I told him I didn't want to drag on because I was retiring without any regrets," Rahane told The Indian Express. He added that former all-rounder Irfan Pathan also called, while current stars Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah sent messages. To all of them, Rahane said his response was the same: he was satisfied because he had given everything to the sport.

The decision came after a period of reflection. Rahane said he had been thinking about retirement for about a month before making it public. He described the emotional weight of the moment, noting that while he was...