Ajinkya Rahane retires: Sindhu hails '103 at Lord's' as defining knock
Synopsis
PV Sindhu's heartfelt X post for Ajinkya Rahane cuts to the heart of what made him special — not the averages, but the 103 at Lord's when India were under the pump. Rahane ends a 12-year career as one of India's most reliable overseas batters, with eight of his 12 Test centuries scored away from home and an unbeaten captaincy record that includes the Gabba conquest.
Key Takeaways
Ajinkya Rahane announced retirement from all formats of international cricket on Thursday, 30 July .
PV Sindhu paid tribute on X , highlighting his 103 at Lord's in 2014 as his defining innings.
Rahane played 85 Tests , 90 ODIs , and 20 T20Is across a 12-year international career.
He scored 5,077 Test runs at an average of 38.46 , with 8 of his 12 centuries coming overseas.
As stand-in Test captain, Rahane led India to a historic 2-1 series win in Australia in 2020-21 , including the famous Gabba victory.
His final competitive appearance was for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL .
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu led the sporting world's tributes to Ajinkya Rahane on Thursday, 30 July, after the veteran batter announced his retirement from international cricket across all formats, praising his composure, resilience, and capacity to perform under the fiercest pressure.
Sindhu's Tribute on X
Sindhu took to X to honour Rahane's distinguished career, singling out his 103 at Lord's during India's 2014 tour of England as the innings that defined him most. 'Wishing you the happiest of retirements, Jinks! Your career has been a testament to courage, calmness and some incredibly gritty innings in the toughest of conditions,' Sindhu wrote.
She added: 'That brilliant 103 at Lord's in 2014, in some of the most difficult circumstances, will always stand out. India were under pressure, the conditions were challenging, and you produced an innings filled with immense character and class.' Sindhu concluded by wishing him 'a fabulous second innings, filled with happiness, success and everything you love.'
A Career Built on Overseas Grit
Rahane brought the curtain down on a 12-year international career that spanned 85 Tests, 90 ODIs, and 20 T20Is. His Lord's century proved pivotal in India's victory in that match, and it was part of a remarkable breakthrough overseas run that also included Test hundreds in Wellington and an ODI century at Edgbaston. Notably, eight of his 12 Test centuries came away from home — a statistic that cements his standing as one of India's most dependable overseas performers.
The Melbourne Moment That Defined His Captaincy
Rahane's finest chapter arrived as India's stand-in captain during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Taking over after India's historic low of 36 all out in Adelaide and Virat Kohli's departure on paternity leave, Rahane responded with a match-winning century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He then led an injury-depleted squad to a 2-1 series triumph, sealed by the famous victory at the Gabba — widely regarded as one of India's greatest overseas wins.
Career Numbers and Final Appearance
Rahane finished with 5,077 Test runs at an average of 38.46, including 12 centuries. He also accumulated 2,962 runs in ODIs and 375 runs in T20Is. As Test captain, he remained unbeaten across six matches — winning four and drawing the other two. His final competitive appearance came for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, where he captained the franchise over the last two seasons.
With Rahane's retirement, Indian cricket loses one of its most technically accomplished middle-order batters of the modern era — a player whose value was often most visible when the team needed it most.
Point of View
But the numbers tell a more complicated story — a Test average of 38.46 is solid, not exceptional, and his latter-career inconsistency cost him his place well before he eventually stepped away. What mainstream tributes risk glossing over is that Rahane's reputation rests on a handful of marquee innings rather than sustained output. The Gabba win was genuinely historic, but it also obscures the fact that India's selectors had already moved on from him by 2022. Sindhu's tribute, warm as it is, reflects how sport remembers its heroes — by the peaks, not the troughs. That is not wrong, but it is incomplete.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Ajinkya Rahane retire from cricket?
Ajinkya Rahane announced his retirement from international cricket and all formats on 30 July, bringing down the curtain on a 12-year career. No specific reason was cited in his retirement announcement beyond the natural conclusion of a long and distinguished career.
What did PV Sindhu say about Ajinkya Rahane's retirement?
PV Sindhu posted a tribute on X calling Rahane's career 'a testament to courage, calmness and some incredibly gritty innings.' She specifically highlighted his 103 at Lord's in 2014 as the innings that would 'always stand out,' and wished him a 'fabulous second innings.'
What are Ajinkya Rahane's career statistics?
Rahane finished with 5,077 Test runs at an average of 38.46, including 12 centuries — eight of which came overseas. He also scored 2,962 runs in ODIs and 375 in T20Is across 85 Tests, 90 ODIs, and 20 T20Is.
What was Ajinkya Rahane's best moment as captain?
Rahane's standout captaincy came during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. He took charge after India's 36 all out in Adelaide, scored a match-winning century in Melbourne, and led an injury-hit squad to a 2-1 series win, including the celebrated Gabba victory. He remained unbeaten as Test captain across six matches.
What was Ajinkya Rahane's final competitive appearance?
Rahane's final competitive appearance was for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, where he captained the franchise across the last two seasons before his international retirement announcement.
