Ajinkya Rahane, who formally announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, called his long-time mentor Pravin Amre the day before to personally break the news — a gesture that encapsulated the quiet dignity that defined his 18-year association with the coach. Amre, who began guiding a teenage Rahane as he navigated Mumbai's domestic circuit, described the retirement as a sad but proud moment.

A Coach's Perspective on a Rare Cricketer

'I personally feel it's definitely a sad moment, simply because, coaching-wise, for 18 years, we were together and saw so many ups and downs. But for me, personally, I'm really proud of Ajinkya, the way and the manner in which he conducted himself,' Amre said.

Amre reserved his highest praise for Rahane's temperament and discipline. 'I coach many international Indian players, but I think he was like a coach's delight. He was always ready to listen to every suggestion and any correction we wanted to make. The way he handled himself, he was like a silent warrior. He never showed off anywhere, but when he was there on the field, he wanted to win the game for his team,' he added.

Career Numbers and Overseas Legacy

Rahane bows out of international cricket with 85 Tests, 5,077 runs, and an average of 38.46, in addition to 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is. His overseas record stands as perhaps his most defining statistical marker — eight of his 12 Test centuries came outside India, cementing his reputation as the team's crisis man in SENA conditions.

His debut was far from auspicious: scores of 7 and 1 against Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi in 2013. But Amre recalls that adversity sharpened rather than diminished him. 'He knew that he didn't have any option, because if he had been a failure in one series, his career would have been gone. But that's where he came out with flying colours every time.'

The Australia Turnaround — A Kargil Analogy

The most celebrated chapter of Rahane's career remains the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he took charge of a demoralised Indian side after the infamous 36 all out at Adelaide and led them to a remarkable 2-1 series win. His Boxing Day century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground set the tone for one of Test cricket's great comebacks.

Amre's pre-series message to Rahane was characteristically direct. 'I just told him, it's like a Kargil war. The enemy is on top, and you are down. Now, you just have to go through that — and he exactly did it.' He added: 'He has shown not only character, but was also the heart of the team. You cannot perform in Australia if you do not have that fire inside. But he has always had that control and aggression.'

Rahane's catalogue of overseas performances extended well beyond Melbourne — a century batting at number three against Sri Lanka in 2015, twin hundreds against South Africa in New Delhi that same year, a gritty 96 in Durban in 2013, and a composed 48 in Johannesburg in 2018.

Character Beyond Cricket

Amre recalled an unusual but telling endorsement of Rahane's integrity. An anti-corruption officer named Mr. Singh, attached to the Indian team, approached Amre specifically to praise Rahane — not for his batting, but for his behaviour in the dressing room. 'He praised Ajinkya not for his cricketing skills, but for his behaviour and the way he conducts himself. That was one of the best things to know that Ajinkya is a good human,' Amre said.

Another illustration came during a Duleep Trophy game in 2022, when Rahane sent Yashasvi Jaiswal off the field for excessive sledging — a moment that spoke to his standards of conduct. Notably, Rahane's journey began as a seven-year-old from a humble Marathi family, travelling alone from Dombivli to the city's maidans with his kit bag, a grind Amre credits as the foundation of everything that followed.

The Regret: 100 Tests and a Fitting Farewell

Amre was candid about what he sees as an incomplete story. 'I personally feel he had all the things to be a part of that elite group to play 100 Test matches. It's because of the runs and remarkable catches, everything he had done. But actually, if he had that good support, I think he would have played 100 Tests,' he said.

He also expressed disappointment at the manner of Rahane's exit. 'His retirement could have come better on the cricket ground rather than via a video announcement. We have to also learn and respect those who have given the best for the country. It is our duty to give a good send-off.' Even as a national recall grew increasingly remote after a brief return in 2023, Rahane continued to serve Mumbai, leading the side to the Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup titles.

Looking ahead, Amre sees coaching or commentary as natural next steps for Rahane, while also suggesting he retains enough in the tank for global leagues. The overriding lesson Amre hopes the next generation takes from Rahane's career is simple: discipline is not optional, it is the foundation. 'For me, Ajinkya's success was not an accident — whatever success he had, he prepared himself for it, and that is what they should learn.'