India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad has gained momentum with the return of Shubman Gill, who has been...
Ajinkya Rahane
Veteran India batter Ajinkya Rahane has decided to step down as captain of Mumbai cricket ahead of...
Ajinkya Rahane: Career, Achievements, and IPL Success
Ajinkya Rahane (born 6 June 1988) is an Indian cricketer and former Indian captain in all formats, as well as a former vice-captain of the Indian team in Test cricket. Rahane has played for the Indian cricket team in all formats as a batsman and currently captains both Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. He also plays for Leicestershire in the County Championship. Primarily a middle-order batsman in the Test format and a top-order batsman in white-ball cricket, Rahane’s leadership record is exceptional, with only one loss under his captaincy.
Early and Personal Life
Rahane was born on 6 June 1988 in Ashwi KD, Sangamner Taluka, Ahmednagar district to Madhukar Baburao Rahane and Sujata Rahane. He has a younger brother and sister, Shashank and Apurva Rahane. At the age of seven, his father took him to a small coaching camp in Dombivli, as they could not afford proper coaching. From the age of 17, he took coaching from former India batsman Pravin Amre. Rahane bats and bowls off-break with his right hand but uses his left hand to write. He cleared his Secondary School Certificate from SV Joshi High School, Dombivli.
Rahane married his childhood friend, Radhika Dhopavkar, on 26 September 2014. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Aarya, on 4 October 2019, and their second child, a son named Raghav, was born on 5 October 2022.
Domestic Career
Rahane performed well when India U-19 toured New Zealand in early 2007, with two centuries. He was picked for the Mohammad Nissar Trophy in Pakistan, and made his first-class debut for Mumbai in the 2007-08 season. Rahane’s impressive performances continued, and he helped Mumbai win the 38th title with his crucial contributions, including a score of 265 not-out against Hyderabad in the 2009-10 season.
Rahane also enjoyed success in List A cricket, scoring consistently, including a century in the Emerging Players Tournament in Australia. He later captained Mumbai in the 2018-19 Vijay Hazare Trophy and India C in the 2018-19 Deodhar Trophy, leading the team to victory.
International Career
Test Career
Rahane made his Test debut for India on 22 March 2013 against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His debut match was challenging, but Rahane soon proved his worth with outstanding performances in South Africa and New Zealand. His maiden Test century came against New Zealand in February 2014, and he followed it up with a century at Lord’s against England in July 2014. Rahane’s performances in overseas conditions, especially in difficult situations, earned him a reputation as one of India’s best players outside of home.
Under Rahane’s leadership, India won the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. He captained the team to a remarkable victory, and was instrumental in the series win, particularly with his brilliant knock of 112 in the second Test. Rahane’s leadership was praised for its calmness and astuteness.
Rahane’s consistent performance continued, and he went on to score numerous centuries, including a career-best 188 against New Zealand in 2016. He is known for his solid technique and ability to perform under pressure, especially in foreign conditions.
One-Day International Career
Rahane made his ODI debut against England in 2011. While his initial performances in limited-overs cricket were inconsistent, he later found his rhythm and scored multiple fifties and centuries, including a match-winning 106 against England in 2014 and 111 against Sri Lanka in the same year.
Rahane was a crucial member of India’s 2015 Cricket World Cup squad, though he did not play a key role in the tournament’s knockout stage. He has been a versatile player in the middle order and has captained India in a few series, most notably the 2015 series against Zimbabwe.
T20 International Career
Rahane made his T20I debut against England in 2011. He was part of the team that reached the final of the 2014 ICC World T20, and contributed with a crucial 32-run knock in the semi-final. Rahane has also captained India in T20Is, leading them to a series win against Zimbabwe in 2015.
IPL Career
Rahane was bought by Rajasthan Royals for the 2012 IPL season. He quickly became a key player, especially for his consistent batting at the top of the order. Rahane’s breakthrough came in 2012 when he scored two match-winning centuries, becoming the first batsman to score a century in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals.
In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Rahane played for Rising Pune Supergiants and was their leading run-scorer. He later returned to Rajasthan Royals in 2018, captaining the team for a part of the season. In 2022, Rahane was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders and proved to be a valuable asset with his performances at No.3, helping the team win the title.
Awards and Recognition
Rahane has received numerous accolades for his cricketing achievements. He was awarded the CEAT Indian Cricketer of the Year in 2014-15 and was honored with the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2016.
Ajinkya Rahane: Career, Achievements, and IPL Success
Ajinkya Rahane (born 6 June 1988) is an Indian cricketer and former Indian captain in all formats, as well as a former vice-captain of the Indian team in Test cricket. Rahane has played for the Indian cricket team in all formats as a batsman and currently captains both Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. He also plays for Leicestershire in the County Championship. Primarily a middle-order batsman in the Test format and a top-order batsman in white-ball cricket, Rahane’s leadership record is exceptional, with only one loss under his captaincy.
Early and Personal Life
Rahane was born on 6 June 1988 in Ashwi KD, Sangamner Taluka, Ahmednagar district to Madhukar Baburao Rahane and Sujata Rahane. He has a younger brother and sister, Shashank and Apurva Rahane. At the age of seven, his father took him to a small coaching camp in Dombivli, as they could not afford proper coaching. From the age of 17, he took coaching from former India batsman Pravin Amre. Rahane bats and bowls off-break with his right hand but uses his left hand to write. He cleared his Secondary School Certificate from SV Joshi High School, Dombivli.
Rahane married his childhood friend, Radhika Dhopavkar, on 26 September 2014. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Aarya, on 4 October 2019, and their second child, a son named Raghav, was born on 5 October 2022.
Domestic Career
Rahane performed well when India U-19 toured New Zealand in early 2007, with two centuries. He was picked for the Mohammad Nissar Trophy in Pakistan, and made his first-class debut for Mumbai in the 2007-08 season. Rahane’s impressive performances continued, and he helped Mumbai win the 38th title with his crucial contributions, including a score of 265 not-out against Hyderabad in the 2009-10 season.
Rahane also enjoyed success in List A cricket, scoring consistently, including a century in the Emerging Players Tournament in Australia. He later captained Mumbai in the 2018-19 Vijay Hazare Trophy and India C in the 2018-19 Deodhar Trophy, leading the team to victory.
International Career
Test Career
Rahane made his Test debut for India on 22 March 2013 against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His debut match was challenging, but Rahane soon proved his worth with outstanding performances in South Africa and New Zealand. His maiden Test century came against New Zealand in February 2014, and he followed it up with a century at Lord’s against England in July 2014. Rahane’s performances in overseas conditions, especially in difficult situations, earned him a reputation as one of India’s best players outside of home.
Under Rahane’s leadership, India won the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. He captained the team to a remarkable victory, and was instrumental in the series win, particularly with his brilliant knock of 112 in the second Test. Rahane’s leadership was praised for its calmness and astuteness.
Rahane’s consistent performance continued, and he went on to score numerous centuries, including a career-best 188 against New Zealand in 2016. He is known for his solid technique and ability to perform under pressure, especially in foreign conditions.
One-Day International Career
Rahane made his ODI debut against England in 2011. While his initial performances in limited-overs cricket were inconsistent, he later found his rhythm and scored multiple fifties and centuries, including a match-winning 106 against England in 2014 and 111 against Sri Lanka in the same year.
Rahane was a crucial member of India’s 2015 Cricket World Cup squad, though he did not play a key role in the tournament’s knockout stage. He has been a versatile player in the middle order and has captained India in a few series, most notably the 2015 series against Zimbabwe.
T20 International Career
Rahane made his T20I debut against England in 2011. He was part of the team that reached the final of the 2014 ICC World T20, and contributed with a crucial 32-run knock in the semi-final. Rahane has also captained India in T20Is, leading them to a series win against Zimbabwe in 2015.
IPL Career
Rahane was bought by Rajasthan Royals for the 2012 IPL season. He quickly became a key player, especially for his consistent batting at the top of the order. Rahane’s breakthrough came in 2012 when he scored two match-winning centuries, becoming the first batsman to score a century in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals.
In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Rahane played for Rising Pune Supergiants and was their leading run-scorer. He later returned to Rajasthan Royals in 2018, captaining the team for a part of the season. In 2022, Rahane was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders and proved to be a valuable asset with his performances at No.3, helping the team win the title.
Awards and Recognition
Rahane has received numerous accolades for his cricketing achievements. He was awarded the CEAT Indian Cricketer of the Year in 2014-15 and was honored with the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2016.