Mumbai: Ajinkya Rahane‘s retirement from all forms of cricket brought messages and calls from some of the biggest names in Indian cricket, with Sachin Tendulkar being the first to contact the veteran batter after his announcement.
Rahane, who represented India across formats and became one of the country’s most dependable Test batters overseas, revealed that Tendulkar called him soon after he posted his retirement video on social media. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Cheteshwar Pujara and Irfan Pathan were among the other cricketers who reached out to him.
The 38-year-old said that despite the emotions surrounding the end of his career, he had no regrets about his decision. His message to everyone who contacted him was consistent: he was satisfied because he had given everything to the game.
Sachin Tendulkar made the first call
Rahane revealed in an interview with The Indian Express that Tendulkar was the first person to call him after his retirement announcement.
According to Rahane, the legendary batter told him that he had expected him to play more matches for India. Tendulkar’s reaction reflected the respect Rahane earned during a career in which he became particularly valuable to India’s Test team in challenging overseas conditions.
“The first call came from Sachin (Tendulkar) paaji, who said he thought I would play for longer,” Rahane said.
Rahane explained that he told Tendulkar he did not want to prolong his career simply for the sake of continuing.
He said he wanted to retire without regrets and felt that he had reached the right point to move on from professional cricket.
The conversation with Tendulkar was followed by further messages and calls from several of Rahane’s former teammates and contemporaries.
Kohli, Rohit and Bumrah sent messages
While Tendulkar was the first to call, Rahane’s phone continued to receive messages from some of the most prominent players of India’s recent Test era.
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah all messaged him after his retirement announcement. Cheteshwar Pujara and former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan also contacted the former vice-captain.
Rahane said that he gave all of them essentially the same response.
“I told everyone the same thing: I was satisfied because I had given everything to the game,” he said.
That response reflects the way Rahane has approached his retirement. Rather than focusing on the number of matches he could have played, the batter said he preferred to look back at his contribution and the experiences he gained during his career.
For a player whose career included some remarkable overseas performances and important Test victories, the decision marked the end of a significant chapter in Indian cricket.
Rahane became emotional while recording retirement video
Although Rahane was confident about his decision, announcing retirement proved to be an emotional experience.
The batter admitted that he cried after recording the video in which he announced his decision. He had already discussed retirement with his family, but said he did not expect the act of recording the announcement to affect him so deeply.
“After recording the video, I cried a lot,” Rahane said.
He explained that the emotions came from recognising that he would no longer be doing something he had loved for many years.
The realisation that professional cricket was coming to an end made the moment particularly difficult.
Rahane’s comments underline the emotional connection that elite players often develop with the sport after spending decades training, competing and representing their country.
A specialist in difficult overseas conditions
Rahane leaves international cricket with a reputation as a batter who could handle difficult conditions, particularly when India played Test cricket overseas.
His technique against pace and his ability to deal with movement made him an important member of India’s red-ball setup during one of the country’s most successful periods in Test cricket.
Rahane was often relied upon when India’s batting faced challenging conditions in countries where the ball moved significantly.
His career also included leadership responsibilities, including serving as India’s Test captain at different stages.
One of his most memorable achievements came during India’s famous Test series in Australia, where he led the team to a historic series victory after taking over the captaincy from Kohli during the 2020-21 tour.
Although Rahane’s batting form fluctuated during the later stages of his international career, his contribution to India’s Test cricket remained significant.
Rahane recalls bond with Kohli and Pujara
Rahane also spoke about his close relationship with Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli.
He and Pujara spent considerable time together in domestic cricket before becoming key members of India’s Test middle order. Rahane and Kohli, meanwhile, spent much of their international careers together as India established itself as one of the world’s strongest Test teams.
Rahane said the three players shared a common objective: helping India become the best Test side in the world.
“Pujara and I played a lot together in domestic cricket, while Virat and I spent more time together playing for India,” Rahane said.
He described the bond between them as strong and said they regularly discussed and analysed matches while learning from one another.
The group experienced both difficult periods and historic successes together.
India’s rise to No. 1 in Test cricket
Rahane recalled how India’s Test team developed during the period in which he, Kohli and Pujara were important members of the side.
He pointed out that India were ranked sixth or seventh in Test cricket around 2015 before gradually climbing to the top of the rankings.
The journey involved difficult overseas assignments, setbacks and intense competition. However, the players learned from those experiences and eventually helped India become the No. 1-ranked Test team.
Rahane said the team’s shared objective created a strong bond among the players.
“Before becoming champions, we also went through difficult phases together in Tests, but it was enjoyable,” he recalled.
His comments offer an insight into the camaraderie within an Indian Test team that achieved sustained success both at home and overseas.
A career remembered for resilience
Rahane’s career was defined by resilience as much as his batting ability.
He experienced periods when his place in India’s Test team came under pressure but repeatedly returned to the side through strong domestic performances and important contributions.
His overseas record remained one of his strongest credentials. Rahane’s ability to score runs when conditions were difficult gave him a role that was particularly valuable to India during overseas tours.
He also represented India in limited-overs cricket and played a significant role in domestic cricket, including the Indian Premier League.
His retirement therefore brings an end to a career that spanned multiple generations of Indian cricket.
No regrets for the former India batter
Despite Tendulkar’s belief that he could have played for India for longer, Rahane appears comfortable with his decision.
His conversations with Tendulkar, Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah, Pujara and Pathan all ended with the same message: he was satisfied with what he had achieved.
That sense of peace appears to have been important to Rahane as he considered the next phase of his life.
Rather than waiting until he could no longer contribute, he chose to step away on his own terms.
For a player who spent years putting the team’s interests ahead of personal milestones, that approach is consistent with the philosophy he described throughout his career.
Conclusion
Ajinkya Rahane’s retirement has prompted an outpouring of appreciation from some of Indian cricket’s most celebrated names. Sachin Tendulkar was the first to call, while Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Cheteshwar Pujara and Irfan Pathan also reached out.
Rahane’s response to all of them was simple: he had no regrets because he had given everything to cricket.
His career will be remembered particularly for his contributions to India’s Test team, his performances in demanding overseas conditions and his role in India’s rise to the top of Test cricket.
As he closes the door on professional cricket, Rahane can look back on a career that brought him major victories, strong friendships and the respect of some of the greatest players India has produced.