NEW DELHI: Former India captain Rohit Sharma paid a heartfelt tribute to longtime teammate Ajinkya Rahane after the veteran batter announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday, bringing an end to a career that stretched across nearly two decades. Rahane announced his decision through an emotional video on Instagram, prompting messages from across the cricket fraternity. Rohit's message carried particular significance given the years the two Mumbai cricketers spent together in the Indian dressing room. He praised Rahane's work ethic, commitment and professionalism while congratulating him on his career and wishing him well for the future. Rahane leaves international cricket after representing India in all three formats, though it was Test cricket where he built his strongest legacy. He played 85 Tests for India and scored 5,077 runs at an average of 38.46, including 12 centuries and 26 half-centuries. His numbers were backed by several important innings overseas, making him a dependable presence in India's middle order for much of his Test career.

Rahane also represented India in 90 ODIs, scoring 2,962 runs with three centuries and 24 half-centuries at an average of 35.26. His T20 International career was shorter, with 375 runs from 20 appearances, including one fifty. Beyond his batting numbers, though, Rahane will also be remembered for what he achieved whenever India handed him the Test captaincy. He never lost a Test as captain, overseeing four victories and two draws. According to the report, Rahane also holds the highest win percentage among Indian Test captains who led the country in at least five matches. His leadership was calm, rarely dramatic, but it delivered results. The defining chapter came during India's 2020-21 tour of Australia. After India suffered a heavy defeat in the Adelaide Test, Rahane took charge of a team dealing with injuries, absences and considerable pressure. He responded by leading from the front in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, where India produced a memorable comeback victory. The series eventually ended with India's historic triumph at the Gabba, breaking Australia's long unbeaten run at the venue and completing one of Indian cricket's most celebrated overseas series victories.

Rahane had shown his leadership credentials before that Australia tour as well. In 2017, he captained India to an important Test victory against Australia in Dharamshala. Still, the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy remains the standout moment of his captaincy career and one of the strongest parts of his international legacy. Rohit's tribute reflected the personal side of that long journey. Having shared the dressing room with Rahane for years, he highlighted the amount of work that went into the Mumbai batter's achievements and singled out his professionalism as a quality that separated him from others. Rahane's international retirement closes the chapter on a player who was part of India's Test middle order through an important period of overseas success. He may not have always attracted the attention that surrounded some of his contemporaries, but his performances in difficult conditions and his record as captain ensured a distinct place in Indian cricket history. From more than 5,000 Test runs to an unbeaten captaincy record and the unforgettable Australian series win, Rahane steps away from international cricket with a career built around resilience, discipline and several significant contributions away from home.