Ajinkya Rahane Quits as Mumbai Captain
Veteran India batter Ajinkya Rahane has decided to step down as captain of Mumbai cricket ahead of the new domestic season. Rahane announced his decision on social media, stating that it was the right time to groom a new leader for the team.
“Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour. With a new domestic season ahead, I believe it’s the right time to groom a new leader, and hence I’ve decided not to continue in the captaincy role,” Rahane wrote on X.
Rahane Confirms He Will Continue as Player
The 37-year-old clarified that he is not retiring from domestic cricket and will continue as a senior batter.
“I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player and will continue my journey with Mumbai to help us win more trophies. Looking forward to the season,” he added.
Under Rahane’s leadership, Mumbai won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season, where he also finished as the highest run-scorer. Mumbai also reached the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy, losing to Vidarbha by 90 runs.
Ajinkya Rahane’s Mumbai Records
Rahane is Mumbai’s second-highest run-scorer in first-class cricket, only behind Wasim Jaffer. He has scored 5,932 runs in 76 matches at an average of 52, including 19 centuries. Jaffer leads with 29 hundreds.
Will KKR Sack Rahane as Captain?
Rahane also led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2025, scoring 390 runs from 13 matches. With his decision to quit Mumbai captaincy, speculation grows over whether KKR will continue with him as captain next season.
There were reports of KKR targeting KL Rahul and Sanju Samson in potential trades, both of whom can take up leadership duties. KKR finished sixth this season, a year after winning the title under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy.
Who Will Replace Rahane as Mumbai Captain?
Mumbai has no shortage of captaincy options in the squad. Senior cricketers like Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sarfaraz Khan are potential candidates.
Among them, Iyer has led three IPL franchises, while Suryakumar is India’s current T20I captain. Considering Jaiswal’s Test commitments, selectors may prefer Iyer or Surya, who are not in Test contention and could be available for most of the season.
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