Virat Kohli Pays Emotional Tribute As Ajinkya Rahane Retires From Cricket

Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli formed a reliable duo for India [Source: Virat Kohli/X]Ajinkya Rahane announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket on Thursday morning with a special video message for fans and the media. What followed was a special day for the former middle-order batter, as his teammates and fans paid tribute to him online.Joining the long list is Virat Kohli, who filled everyone with nostalgia with his heartfelt message for his former Test deputy. The special tweet revealed how close the two were and why India thrived with them in the middle-order and the leadership group.Virat Kohli leaves heartfelt note on Ajinkya Rahane’s retirementThe Kohli-Rahane pair played a staggering 78 Tests together from 2011 to 2023. Their chemistry was always evident on the field alongside the mutual respect they had for each other.In the tweet, just like old times, Virat Kohli openly noted his admiration for Rahane, also terming the Mumbai batter his favourite Test batting partner in his tribute.Furthermore, he also called Rahane the safest pair of hands in slips, as a testament to his 102 catches in 85 Tests for India.Also Read: Ajinkya Rahane's Top 5 Knocks In International CricketVirat Kohli @imVkohli 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. 🤝🇮🇳 @ajinkyarahane88 Jul 30, 2026, 6:31 PM "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. @ajinkyarahane88," Virat Kohli posted on X. Why did Virat Kohli call Ajinkya Rahane as his favourite batting partner in Tests?Since Ajinkya Rahane made his India debut, no other pair than him and Virat Kohli has scored more Test runs for India. The duo was a big reason why the Indian middle order thrived in the mid to late 2010s.The first time they played together was in December 2013, against South Africa in Johannesburg, adding 68 runs for the fifth wicket. What followed was sheer domination from the India number 4 and number 5 for the next decade.In 67 innings where they batted together, they stitched 3661 runs for India at an average of 56.32. This includes 10 century stands and 17 fifty stands.As a pair, their best partnership came against New Zealand in Indore, 2016. After Rahane joined Kohli at 100/3, they stitched a 365-run stand for the 4th wicket, batting New Zealand out of the game. Kohli scored 211 (366), while Rahane racked up his career-high score of 188(381), and India declared at 557/5.They also complemented each other well as captain and vice-captain, where Kohli was the aggressive one, and Rahane was the calmer one.In Kohli’s absence, Rahane led India in 6 Tests, winning 4 and drawing 2. This includes the memorable Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020/21, where Kohli left on paternity leave after the Adelaide debacle, and India still won the series.Ajinkya Rahane's international statsAs mentioned by Kohli in his message, Rahane emerged as one of the most crucial figures in India’s Test dominance in his playing days.Before announcing his retirement, Rahane played 85 Tests and scored 5077 runs at an average of 38.46 with 12 hundreds and 26 fifties. While the average is low, he remained the most dependable batter for India in the 2014-18 period, especially overseas.Apart from that, he played 90 ODIs, scoring 2962 runs with 3 hundreds and 24 fifties in the middle order. He also played 20 T20Is, scoring 375 runs with a fifty to his name.Rahane last played for India in Port of Spain in 2023, just weeks after his memorable return to Tests in the WTC 2023 final, where he got 89(129) and 46(78) in testing conditions at The Oval.Also Read: How Close Is Dhruv Jurel To End Rishabh Pant's Career In Indian Test Team?