Ajinkya Madhukar Rahane, born on June 6, 1988, is a prominent Indian cricketer and former captain and vice-captain of the Indian Test team. Renowned for his versatility, Rahane has represented India across all formats as a batsman. He currently captains Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy and plays for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL. In Test cricket, he excels as a middle-order batsman, while in white-ball formats, he is a reliable top-order player. Impressively, India has lost only one match under his captaincy.
Rahane’s journey began with his first-class debut for Mumbai in the 2007–08 Ranji Trophy season. His international career took off with a T20I debut against England in Manchester in August 2011. Rahane’s Test debut came during the March 2013 Border–Gavaskar Trophy. His first Test century was a memorable one, scored at Basin Reserve in Wellington against New Zealand. A crowning achievement of his captaincy was leading India to victory in the 2020-21 Border–Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. As of May 2021, Rahane was ranked 27th in the ICC Test batting rankings, with 612 points. In recognition of his contributions, he received a Grade B contract from the BCCI in March 2022. Known as one of India’s best overseas performers, Rahane has scored over 3000 runs away from home at an average exceeding 40.
Rahane’s international debut for India in a Twenty20 International against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, in August 2011 was marked by a remarkable half-century (61 off 39 balls) against a formidable English attack. This match was notably the only T20I played by former Indian captain Rahul Dravid.
Rahane played a crucial role in India’s journey to the final of the 2014 World T20. After sitting out the first three matches, he made an impact against Australia and provided a solid start in the semi-final with a score of 32 runs, helping India secure victory. He also captained India in two Twenty20 Internationals against Zimbabwe, winning one and losing the other, with scores of 33 and 4 runs, respectively.
Throughout his career, Rahane has amassed 12 Test centuries and three ODI centuries. His highest Test score of 188 came against New Zealand at Indore in October 2016, while his top ODI score of 111 was achieved against Sri Lanka at Cuttack in November 2011. Although he has not yet scored a Twenty20 International century, Rahane’s contributions across all formats underscore his significant role in Indian cricket.
As we celebrate Ajinkya Rahane’s birthday, we honor his remarkable achievements and unwavering dedication to the sport, which continue to inspire cricket enthusiasts around the world.
