Ajinkya Rahane Decides 'Not To Continue' After Massive Snub: "Right Time To..."
Ajinkya Rahane has amassed 14000 runs in 201 first-class matches.
- Ajinkya Rahane has stepped down as captain of Mumbai's domestic cricket team
- Rahane will continue to play as a batter for Mumbai in the upcoming season
- "I believe it's the right time to groom a new leader, and hence I've decided not to continue," said Rahane
Veteran cricketer Ajinkya Rahane has announced the decision stepped down as captain of Mumbai's domestic cricket team, emphasing that it's time for new leadership. Taking to social media, Rahane said that he has decided not continue as captain of Mumbai, adding that it's the right time to groom a new leader. "Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour. With a new domestic season ahead, I believe it's the right time to groom a new leader, and hence I've decided not to continue in the captaincy role," Rahane posted on X.
The 37-year-old, who has amassed 14000 runs in 201 first-class matches, however, will continue to play as a batter in the team. The Ranji season begins on October 15 and Mumbai will be up against Jammu and Kashmir in their opening game.
Under his captaincy, Mumbai clinched the Ranji Trophy title in the 2023-24 season with a victory over Vidarbha in the final.
He also guided the team to triumph in the Irani Cup 2024-25, overcoming the Rest of India (ROI) side.
Before these red-ball achievements, he led Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in 2022-23, cementing his reputation as one of the finest captains in Indian domestic cricket.
Rahane was one of the big names, alongside Cheteshwar Pujara, to have been left out of the West Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy.
In their absence, India all-rounder Shardul Thakur will lead the side. Indian international stars like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan and Ruturaj Gaikwad are part of the squad.
The omission of Rahane and Pujara, both 37, has perhaps put a full stop to their hopes of a return to the Indian side. The management moved on from the pair following the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final loss against Australia back in 2023. The two players had an indifferent run of form for the preceding two or three years.
In the last Ranji Trophy season, Rahane and Pujara scored 467 runs and 402 runs at an average of 35.9 and 40.2 respectively. Both of them got a century and fifty each.
(With Agency Inputs)
India Cricket Team
Ajinkya Rahane