Former India captain Virat Kohli penned an emotional message for Ajinkya Rahane on his retirement. Kohli took to X and wished the veteran Indian batter well for his next innings, while hailing him as his ‘favourite Test batting partner’. Notably, Rahane announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Thursday via an emotional social media video. The 38-year-old last appeared in competitive cricket during the 2026 season of Indian Premier League where he led the Kolkata Knight Riders.
However, his last appearance for India came in 2023 during the second Test against the West Indies at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain. As the 38-year-old bid adieu to his glorious 20-year-long career, Kohli, his former teammate and captain of the Indian team shared a heartfelt message and labelled him as his favourite Test batting partner.
On X, Kohli wrote, “Jinks, congratulations on a great career, buddy. You’ve done wonders for Indian cricket, and you can be very proud of your journey. The safest pair of hands in the slips and my favourite Test batting partner. Wishing you well always. God bless.”
Someone who never chased moments: Sachin Tendulkar’s tribute to Ajinkya Rahane
Legendary Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar paid a heartfelt tribute to Rahane and wished him the best for the future. The former Indian cricketer also hailed Rahane for his composure, resilience and calm presence on the field. In a post shared on X, Tendulkar wrote, "Congratulations on a remarkable career, @ajinkyarahane88. The first time we batted together for Mumbai, I saw someone who never chased moments. They came to you because you were willing to do the hard yards for the team.”
He added, “That same quality defined your finest hour in Australia. You showed that composure isn't the opposite of aggression. It is often what gives a team the confidence to be fearless. Congratulations on a wonderful career! Wishing you and your family all the very best."
Notably, Tendulkar and Rahane were teammates for Mumbai in domestic cricket as well as for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Notably, Rahane kicked off his Test journey on March 22, 2013 against Australia at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium (then, Firoz Shah Kotla Stadium), where Tendulkar stood alongside him at the crease.
