| Full Name Ajinkya Madhukar Rahane | Born June 06, 1988, Ashwi-KD, Maharashtra | Age 36y 313d |
| Batting Style Right hand Bat | Bowling Style Right arm Medium | Playing Role Top order Batter |
TEAMS
Profile
A dressing room full of tattooed arms, gelled hair, peroxide highlights and dabbing twenty-somethings defines the post-Tendulkar era of Indian cricket. Amidst all the glitter and spunk of the youthful Indian dressing room, a quiet young man of short stature was the unlikely outcast.
From the Dombivli suburb of Mumbai, Ajinkya Rahane was born to middle-class parents, who fully supported his passion for cricket. Due to lack of resources, Rahane had his initiation on a matted wicket in Dombivli, and started to to train with Pravin Amre at the age of 17. Rahane, the squeaky clean kid, took to cricket as if it were a religion and rose through the ranks of junior cricket and into the Ranji fold. In Ranji Trophy too, he excelled and, plundering 1089 runs in his second season and started to knock on the selectors’ doors. However, the great Indian batting order had no space for the young cricketer, and Rahane continued to cruise through Ranji seasons, rupturing old records and churning out centuries day in and day out.
Rahane’s came out on top in his first encounter with international bowlers, easing his way to a 172 in a Duleep Trophy encounter against the likes of England internationals like Liam Plunkett and Graham Onions. Rahane then delivered a critical performance of undeniable prowess when he hammered two hundreds in the emerging players’ tournament in Australia, proving his worth in adverse conditions, and reminded observers of the game of another teen-aged Mumbaikar, with a similarly punchy technique, who had taken a special liking to Australian pitches in 1992…
After his peerless performance in Australia, he was well and truly in the national reckoning. It couldn’t have been timed better; in August 2011, the Indian limited overs side found itself in desperate circumstances after conceding the Test series 0-4 in England. With several players undergoing lack of form and ailing from injuries, Rahane was flown in for the T20Is against England. He responded immediately as a stand-in opener with a fluent 61 on T20I debut and 40 on ODI debut, showing that adaptability was definitely a virtue that he could be entrusted with. A compact technique was the call of the hour and he definitely had the skills to encounter the late movement, as opposed to several of his technically-inferior compatriots. However, he soon started a bench-warming spree that would last a few months after the regulars returned for the home season.
Following the retirement of stalwarts like VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, the Indian selectors started the process of blooding the youngsters for the big stage. After a year in and out of the team, and 16 months on the bench, an injury to Shikhar Dhawan finally got Rahane the most desirable piece of attire in Indian cricket – Test cap number 278.
After a poor outing on Test debut, Rahane marked the beginning becoming India’s most versatile and most needed player – their saviour in foreign conditions. On Boxing Day 2013, walked into Kingsmead at 199-4. Amidst a late-order collapse, he batted with the tail to end up on 51*, having countered a fiery Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander on a tricky surface to stretch the first-innings total to 334. In the second innings, with India reeling at 71-4, still trailing by 95 runs, Rahane scored a fluent 96 in a lone effort to rescue his team and emancipate them from their drought of away victories. He ensured that South Africa batted again, but only managed to stretch the lead to 58. India went on to lose the match, and the series, but they had unearthed a gem of an overseas player.
His technical nous, balance at the crease, and his compact technique were exemplary as he effortlessly checked his drives and played late without the wristy bottom-hand drive – a virtue lacking in most subcontinental batsmen of the generation. He had a pronounced forward movement and a front-on stance which was instrumental in making him a good short ball player – another skill most of his compatriots lacked.
Ajinkya Rahane emerged as India’s most accomplished batsman overseas during the 2013/14 season, alongside Murali Vijay. After missing out in Durban, he scored his maiden century in Wellington on a challenging seaming track. At Lord’s, Rahane played a pivotal role in India’s first victory at the venue in 28 years, crafting a composed 103 and etching his name on the honours board. His technical brilliance shone through as he weathered England’s storm in the last three Tests, standing firm amidst adversity. Later that year, Rahane delivered a masterful 147 on a bouncy MCG pitch during the Boxing Day Test against Australia, forging a monumental 262-run partnership with Virat Kohli. This innings followed an impressive 81 on a testing Gabba surface. Through his consistency and resilience, Rahane cemented his reputation as the rock of India’s middle order, excelling under pressure in diverse conditions worldwide.
After his hundred at Kingston in August 2016, Rahane now had a hundred in every Test-playing nation he had played in, except South Africa where he had a 96, and Bangladesh where he had a 98. However, despite being having an unrivaled away record relative to his peers, Rahane had a surprisingly poor record at home. He put all the naysayers to rest by stroking his way to two hundreds in the Delhi Test against South Africa in 2015, wrapping up a dominating win in the series against the Proteas.
Despite being a key figure in India’s Test lineup, Ajinkya Rahane faced inconsistency in ODIs. His determination earned him a spot in the 2015 World Cup, where he played a match-winning 79 against South Africa, securing India’s maiden World Cup victory over the Proteas. However, his ODI career hit a roadblock later that year when he was dropped due to a high dot-ball percentage, paving his transition into a Test specialist role. Even with limited chances, Rahane excelled as an injury replacement, topping India’s run charts during the 2017 ODI series in the West Indies. Yet, Rohit Sharma’s return and the established opening pair of Dhawan and Rohit left little room for him. Despite sporadic opportunities, Rahane’s adaptability and grit ensured impactful performances whenever called upon, reinforcing his reputation as a dependable match-winner under pressure, ready to deliver when it mattered most.
Rahane saw a bit of a dip in form during the Ranji Trophy season of 2017/18, as Mumbai uncharacteristically failed to get past the quarter-final stages, scoring his first duck in Ranji cricket since 2008. His run of poor form lasted alarmingly long as he failed to make any significant contribution in the home series against a scarcely competent Sri Lankan bowling line-up. After a barren run which saw him go 15 Tests without a ton, Rahane was dropped from the Indian team after the away series in South Africa in 2022.
IPL through the years
In the initial years, Ajinkya Rahane played for his native franchise, the Mumbai Indians. As he was a rookie uncapped player at that point, not many opportunities arrived and it was not until his shift to Rajasthan Royals that Rahane started to show consistency in the IPL. A steady opener who can find the gaps in the Powerplay and consolidate thereafter, he became one of the vital cogs around which the Royals batting revolved. The 2012 season was his breakthrough year in the tournament, amassing over 550 runs at a healthy strike rate, including his maiden IPL century. In fact, the years 2012-16 saw Rahane cementing his position as one of the most consistent performers in the tournament’s history.
The 2017 season saw him struggle throughout the tournament, resulting in his worst-ever tally since 2014 as a senior cricketer. The story was pretty similar in 2018 too, with the burden of captaincy further proving difficult for Rahane to handle. He opened the innings for a major part of the tournament but with his form a concern, he even shifted to number three to allow the more aggressive Rahul Tripathi to partner Jos Buttler at the top. As time went by, Rahane’s IPL career too came towards a grinding halt, but being a champion player, he resurrected his batting style during the 2023 tournament after being a surprise pick by the Chennai Super Kings.
Scoring 326 runs at a strike rate of 172.48, Ajinkya Rahane played a pivotal role in Chennai Super Kings’ 5th IPL title. However, a subdued performance the following season saw him dropped ahead of the 2025 auctions. For many, it might have signaled the end, but Rahane bounced back, leading Mumbai to victory in the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Leading from the front, he amassed 469 runs, proving his mettle and silencing critics. His stellar performances caught Kolkata Knight Riders’ attention, who took a chance on him in the 2025 auctions. Backed by his recent form, KKR named him captain for the season, reaffirming Rahane’s enduring class and leadership. Despite challenges, Rahane showcased resilience, using setbacks as stepping stones to revive his career, proving he still had much to offer in cricket’s dynamic landscape.
Ajinkya Rahane’s Impact on His IPL Team
- Leadership and Team Contribution: Rahane is a natural leader. He has led Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiant in the past. He is calm, composed and knows how to handle pressure. With KKR looking for a steady hand, he is expected to be their captain in IPL 2025.
- Role in High-Pressure Matches: Rahane has played some fantastic innings under pressure. His 98 in IPL 2012, his stunning century in the same season, and his 2023 performances for CSK showed that he can deliver when it matters most. In 2019, he was RR’s highest run-scorer.
Ajinkya Rahane Career Stats
Batting & Fielding
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 85 | 144 | 12 | 5077 | 188 | 38.46 | 10256 | 49.50 | 12 | 26 | 578 | 35 | 102 | 0 |
| ODIs | 90 | 87 | 3 | 2962 | 111 | 35.26 | 3767 | 78.63 | 3 | 24 | 293 | 33 | 48 | 0 |
| T20Is | 20 | 20 | 2 | 375 | 61 | 20.83 | 331 | 113.29 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 6 | 16 | 0 |
| FC | 201 | 340 | 30 | 14000 | 265* | 45.16 | 26309 | 53.21 | 41 | 59 | 1687 | 99 | 220 | 0 |
| List A | 192 | 187 | 15 | 6853 | 187 | 39.84 | – | – | 10 | 49 | – | – | 90 | 0 |
| T20s | 277 | 261 | 25 | 7056 | 105* | 29.89 | 5663 | 124.59 | 2 | 50 | 711 | 173 | 119 | 0 |
Bowling
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 85 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| ODIs | 90 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| T20Is | 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| FC | 201 | 9 | 108 | 75 | 0 | – | – | – | 4.16 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| List A | 192 | 2 | 42 | 43 | 3 | 2/36 | 2/36 | 14.33 | 6.14 | 14.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20s | 277 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ajinkya Rahane T20 Stats
Batting & Fielding
| Tournament | Teams | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL | 6 teams | 191 | 177 | 18 | 4846 | 105* | 30.47 | 3893 | 124.47 | 2 | 32 | 496 | 116 | 74 | 0 |
| Champions League | RR | 6 | 6 | 1 | 288 | 70 | 57.60 | 242 | 119.00 | 0 | 4 | 27 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Bowling
| Tournament | Teams | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL | 6 teams | 191 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Champions League | RR | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Debut/Last Matches of Ajinkya Rahane
Test Matches
View Test Records
Debut
India vs Australia at Delhi – March 22 – 24, 2013
Last
West Indies vs India at Port of Spain – July 20 – 24, 2023
ODI Matches
Debut
England vs India at Chester-le-Street – September 03, 2011
Last
South Africa vs India at Centurion – February 16, 2018
T20 International Matches
Debut
England vs India at Manchester – August 31, 2011
Last
West Indies vs India at Lauderhill – August 28, 2016
FC Matches
Debut
Mumbai vs Karachi Urba at Karachi – September 08 – 11, 2007
Last
Vidarbha vs Mumbai at Nagpur – February 17 – 21, 2025
List A Matches
Debut
Delhi vs Mumbai at Delhi – March 18, 2007
Last
Somerset vs Leics at Taunton – August 18, 2024
T20 Matches
Debut
Baroda vs Mumbai at Wankhede – April 03, 2007
Last
CSK vs KKR at Chennai – April 11, 2025
2025 IPL TEAM
Delhi Capitals Sunrisers Hyderabad Rajasthan Royals Chennai Super kings Gujrat Titans Kolkata knight Riders Lucknow Super Giants Mumbai Indians Punjab Kings Royal Challengers Bengaluru