Rahane announces retirement from international cricket and all formats

has retired from international cricket and all formats with immediate effect, he said in a social media post on Thursday. Rahane played 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is for , the last of which was a Test match in the West Indies in July 2023.One of the highlights of Rahane's career was leading India to a historic 2-1 in the summer of 2020-21, especially after India had been bowled out for 36 in the first Test in Adelaide.Rahane's last competitive match was for (KKR) in the last IPL and his decision to retire means the franchise will have to look for a new captain. Rahane led KKR in the last two seasons but finished with unimpressive returns as they finished seventh in 2026 and eighth in 2025.Rahane finishes his international career of 12 years that spanned from 2011 to 2023 with 5077 runs at 38.46 with 12 centuries, 2962 ODI runs at 35.26 with three hundreds and 375 T20I runs at 20.83 with a strike rate of 113.29. He led India in six Tests, of which they won four and drew two."I've always relied on timing in my batting, and I've always understood its importance," Rahane said in a video he posted on Instagram. "Today, I feel the timing is right for me to move on and announce my retirement from international cricket and all formats. From those early days traveling from Dombivli as a young boy just to practice, I gave this game everything I had."Every single day, every innings, every opportunity I got to bat, the dream was always to wear the India cap. I lived by one simple rule: always put my country and my team ahead of myself. I played this game with complete honesty, and I have always believed that if your intent is right, the game will always take care of you."Since the time I made my debut as a first-class cricketer, Indian cricket has grown tremendously, and I feel so proud to have been a part of it over the last 20 years. While my chapter as an Indian cricketer comes to an end, my journey with the game doesn't. I look forward to helping the next generation, sharing the values the sport has taught me, and giving back to the game that has given me everything. "

Rahane was a reliable middle-order batter for India, especially away from home. While he also played a lot more Tests away than home - 51 compared to 32 - he was also more prolific on foreign soil where he averaged 39.43 compared to 35.73 at home. He scored eight of his 12 Test centuries away from home, the first of which was in Wellington in February 2014. But he started getting dropped around 2017-18 as the big scores started to dry up.

His most impactful series was in 2020-21 in Australia, when India were bundled for 36 in Adelaide, regular captain Virat Kohli flew back home for the birth of his first child and the reigns were with an under-pressure Rahane. "To the BCCI, the MCA, my team-mates, my coaches, every IPL franchise, to Radhika, my entire family, my friends, and everyone who stood by me, thank you. Rahane is currently in the UK, doing commentary for