Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane recently announced his retirement from all formats of the game, drawing the curtains on a career that spanned nearly two decades. Tributes poured in from all corners, with fans and experts alike congratulating Rahane on an outstanding career that saw him amass over 8,000 international runs. Former India captain Virat Kohli also paid tribute to Rahane after his retirement, describing him as his “favourite Test batting partner” and “the safest pair of hands in slips.”

“Jinks, congratulations on a great career, buddy. You’ve done wonders for Indian cricket, and you can be very proud of your journey. The safest pair of hands in the slips and my favourite Test batting partner. Wishing you well always. God bless,” Kohli wrote on ‘X’.

The two orchestrated a golden period in Indian Test cricket, with the team topping the ICC Test rankings for nearly 42 months. Together, Kohli and Rahane played 67 Tests, sharing 3,661 runs, including 10 century stands.

Their highest partnership was a massive 365-run stand against New Zealand in the Indore Test in October 2016, during which Kohli scored a double century and Rahane made 188.

Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Rahane opened up about his memorable partnerships with Kohli, explaining how the two complemented each other despite their contrasting approaches.

Rahane also credited Kohli and then-head coach Ravi Shastri for transforming the fortunes of the Indian Test team, whose approach was centered on being proactive rather than reactive.

“When MS was going away from Test cricket, Virat and Ravi toughened up Indian cricket in Tests, especially in overseas conditions. The mindset was all about being bold and aggressive rather than defensive and reactive. We were always proactive,” Rahane said.

“Virat’s intensity matched well with my calm personality, and our open, honest conversations helped us build several important partnerships together,” he added.

Rahane announced his retirement from all formats three years since making his last appearance for India, having played an overall 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is from 2011-2023.

Featured Video Of The Day

Spain’s Royal Family Welcomes World Cup Champions To Zarzuela Palace

The Vikings’ WR2 — Mr. Jordan Addison — boasts terrific talent. Even the best, though, can’t contribute from the sideline.

Thankfully, the thumb injury doesn’t appear too serious. So says Kevin O’Connell, an eternal optimist who does a nice job of trying to be transparent with injury updates: “All imaging and everything came back clean. It’s just a little sore and we want to be able to let him put this thing behind him in the next day or two, but nothing to be concerned about.”

The Vikings’ WR2 Shouldn’t Be Out Long

Chosen at No. 23 in the 2023 NFL Draft, Mr. Addison has proven to be among the better NFL receivers. Few, if any, could debate that he’s a fantastic option. How good is he, though?

An average season for Addison involves 65 catches for 885 yards and 8 touchdowns (tip of the cap to PFR). No doubt, there’s promise contained within those numbers, but he hasn’t rewritten records like Justin Jefferson has. Somebody could pretty easily pile up ten or fifteen names of receivers who are better. Not more talented, but better.

Still, there’s ample potential here, in no small part due to being just 24.

Addison doesn’t boast a formidable frame but he can shake a corner out of his cleats. Doing so allows him to score more than his WR1 counterpart. There’s a sense, as well, that the young fella could figure it out sooner rather than later due to no off-field issues alongside greater stability at quarterback.

— READ MORE: Kevin O’Connell Praises New Sledgehammer —
— READ MORE: Case Closed on Vikings Training Camp Competition —
— READ MORE: Brian Flores Says the 6’3″ Sophomore Packed on Muscle —

Advertisement

The Vikings lean on Addison to shuffle all over the place. He can win outside and from within the slot. So, too, can he be leaned on to be explosive as a runner on jet sweeps. The Vikings can target him at all three levels of the field. In particular, there’s upside in the kill shot, the deep passes that instantly put 6 points on the board.

If completely healthy for seventeen games, Jordan Addison should clear 1,000 yards. He’s talented enough to clear the benchmark yardage total on an annual basis. Something within the range of 80 catches, 1,000 yards, and 10 touchdowns wouldn’t be at all surprising.

Recently, there has been some discussion of an extension for the pass catcher. The receiver business is booming business, so cashing in does have its appeal. The issue for Addison is that he’s coming off his most modest season and working under a new GM in Nolan Teasley. Is the front office willing to pay top dollar for the young fella who doesn’t lack for talent?

Another consideration is that the Vikings already have him under contract for two more seasons. Minnesota sees the fourth season of his rookie contract on the books and then the 5th-year option. Afterwards, the team could opt for the franchise tag, meaning the Vikings boast a ton of leverage.

Jordan Addison stands at 5’11” and weighs close to 180 pounds.

Advertisement

---

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Six days after visiting Shedeur Sanders’ training camp with the Cleveland Browns, former ESPN analyst Ryan Clark delivered a pointed message to defend Deion Sanders’ move. The Colorado coach has been under intense criticism from a section of the fans for his visit to Cleveland.

Speaking during an episode of “The Pivot” podcast released on Wednesday, Clark compared Coach Prime to former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning. He emphasized that both men deserve praise for their active role in supporting their children rather than criticism.

“Archie Manning went to practices at Tennessee,” Clark said. “Archie Manning saw both of his sons at practice. Archie Manning supported his sons at games. And Archie Manning should be applauded for that, for being a present.

“And not only just a present father, but a father that poured into his sons and allowed them to be what they are, as is Deion Sanders. Deion Sanders is doing exactly what you’re supposed to do when you have a level of cachet that allows your sons or allows your children to receive a platform and then take advantage of it in the ways that they should.”

Archie Manning played a crucial role in the career of both Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, with both winning the Super Bowl twice. Peyton is already a Pro Football Hall of Famer while Eli is primed for a place in Canton. Ryan Clark believes that’s the exact role Deion Sanders is playing in Shedeur’s NFL career.

Ryan Clark believes being popular shouldn’t stop Deion Sanders from supporting his son

Dropping his opinion on Deion Sanders’ criticism, Ryan Clark believes the popularity of the Pro Football Hall of Famer shouldn’t stop him from supporting his son. The analyst, who was fired by ESPN last month, believes Coach Prime is doing what the average father would do.

“Just because I’m an extremely successful human doesn’t mean I should support my children any less,” Clark said. “Deion Sanders has not only been there for Shedeur Sanders as a father since birth, he coached in high school with him; they moved to Jackson State together; they moved to Colorado together.

“When you think about parenting, when you think about pouring into your seeds, that’s what it’s supposed to look like. That would be the epitome of what it’s supposed to be.”

In an era when many athletes speak about the challenges of absent fathers, Ryan Clark’s message served as a reminder of the scrutiny parents who are involved are bound to face. This comes at a high level when the parent is a popular figure like Deion Sanders.