Kohli’s Emotional Message for Ajinkya Rahane
Virat Kohli has joined the long list, sending a poignant letter to his former Test deputy, which made everyone nostalgic. The unique tweet exposed the two’s tight relationship and why India thrived with them in the middle and leadership ranks.
Ajinkya Rahane announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket on Thursday morning, via a special video greeting to fans and the media. The former middle-order batter then had a great day, with teammates and supporters paying tribute to him online.
From 2011 until 2023, Kohli and Rahane played an astonishing 78 Test matches together. Their synergy on the pitch was always clear, as was their mutual regard for one another.
In the post, Virat Kohli freely expressed his affection for Rahane, referring to the Mumbai batter as his favourite Test batting partner.
Furthermore, he referred to Rahane as the safest set of hands in slips, citing his 102 catches in 85 Test matches for India.
“Congratulations, Jinks, on your successful career. You’ve done wonders for Indian cricket, and you should be quite proud of your achievements. The most secure pair of hands in the slips, and my favourite Test batting partner. Best wishes, always. “God bless. @ajinkyarahane88,” Virat Kohli wrote on X.
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. 🤝🇮🇳@ajinkyarahane88 pic.twitter.com/bHGaas41gO
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 30, 2026
Why does Virat Kohli consider Ajinkya Rahane to be his favourite Test batting partner?
Since Ajinkya Rahane’s debut for India, only he and Virat Kohli have scored more Test runs. The combination was a major cause for the Indian middle order’s success in the mid to late 2010s.
They first played together in December 2013 against South Africa in Johannesburg, when they added 68 runs for the fifth wicket. For the next decade, India’s number 4 and 5 dominated the rankings.
In 67 innings together, they scored 3661 runs for India at an average of 56.32. This comprises 10 century stands and 17 fifty-stands.
Their greatest performance as a pair came against New Zealand in Indore in 2016. After Rahane joined Kohli at 100/3, they put together a 365-run stand for the fourth wicket, knocking New Zealand out of the game. Kohli scored 211 (366), Rahane scored his career-best 188 (381), and India declared at 557/5.
They also worked well together as captains and vice-captains, with Kohli being the aggressive one and Rahane being the calmer one.
In Kohli’s absence, Rahane captained India in six Tests, winning four and drawing two. This includes the legendary Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020/21, in which India won despite Kohli going on paternity leave following the Adelaide debacle.
Ajinkya Rahane’s International Statistics
As Kohli highlighted in his letter, Rahane emerged as one of the most important figures in India’s Test dominance during his playing career.
Before retiring, Rahane played 85 Tests and scored 5077 runs at an average of 38.46, including 12 hundreds and 26 fifties. While his average is low, he was India’s most dependable hitter from 2014 to 2018, particularly internationally.
Aside from that, he appeared in 90 One-Day Internationals, scoring 2962 runs, including three hundreds and 24 fifties in the middle order. He has played 20 T20Is, amassing 375 runs and a fifty.
Rahane last played for India at Port of Spain in 2023, few weeks after making a remarkable return to Tests in the WTC 2023 final, scoring 89(129) and 46(78) in challenging conditions at The Oval.
