One of the finest Indian batters in the longer format, Ajinkya Rahane, pulled the curtains on his playing career. He announced his retirement from international and all forms of cricket on Thursday, July 30, 2026.
The veteran had a fruitful career with many memorable moments, from captaining India to a historic series victory in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy down under, to winning the IPL title with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2023.
Ajinkya Rahane played 195 matches across all formats in his international career from 2011 to 2023. He piled on 8414 runs at an average of 35.95 with 15 hundreds and 51 half-centuries.
The 38-year-old has achieved several stunning feats as a player, captain, batter, and fielder. That said, here is a look at some of his incredible records that may be tough or impossible to break.
#5 Only Indian to score two centuries in the same Test while batting below No.4
Ajinkya Rahane brought immense stability in the Indian middle order for several years in Test cricket, becoming one of the backbones of the team’s success. Rahane is the only Indian batter to have scored two centuries in the same Test match while batting below the number four position.
During the 2015 Delhi Test against South Africa, Rahane batted at number five and made 127 off 215 balls in the first innings. In the second innings, he once again scored a century, remaining unbeaten on 100 off 206 balls, while batting at number six as India went on to win by a massive margin of 337 runs. He was also awarded ‘Player of the Match’.
#4 Most catches by an Indian in a Test match by a non-wicketkeeper fielder
Ajinkya Rahane is among the finest fielders ever produced by India, particularly in Test cricket, where he established himself as a specialist in the slip cordon. He held a unique record for the most catches taken in a single Test match by a non-wicketkeeper fielder.
Rahane took eight catches during a Test against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2015. While South Africa’s Aiden Markram broke his global record by taking nine catches against India at Guwahati in 2025, Rahane remains the Indian with the most catches in a Test match by a non-wicketkeeper fielder.
#3 Only Indian to score both maiden Test and ODI tons in SENA countries
Among the few unique records held by Ajinkya Rahane is being the only Indian to score both his maiden Test and ODI centuries in SENA countries. While many players have scored either a Test or ODI hundred or both in SENA countries, no Indian has scored both their maiden Test and ODI tons in these countries.
Rahane’s maiden Test hundred came against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington in 2014, where he made 118 runs off 158 balls. His maiden ODI ton came the same year against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, where he made 106 off 100 balls.
#2 Only Indian to score a century both as a player and as captain in a Boxing Day Test
Scoring a century in a Boxing Day Test is a spectacular phenomenon. Ajinkya Rahane did it not once but twice, and also turned it into a record. He is the only Indian to score a century in a Boxing Day Test both as a player and as captain.
In 2014, he made 147 runs off 171 balls against Australia in the first innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). When he was the captain during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he scored 112 runs in the first innings at the same venue and also led India to a series-defining victory.
#1 Only Indian without a single century in a losing cause
India have never lost an international match when Ajinkya Rahane has scored a century (across formats). He is the only Indian without a single hundred coming in a losing cause.
Rahane made 12 Test hundreds and three ODI hundreds in his international career. His 15 centuries have come in 12 wins, three draws, and zero defeats. For any player to have all centuries with the team being unbeaten is a hard feat to achieve.
Edited by Rishab Vm
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