‘A great career buddy’: Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar lead tributes for Ajinkya Rahane

New Delhi: Tributes and heartfelt reactions from the cricketing fraternity have poured in following Ajinkya Rahane's announcement of his retirement from all forms of cricket. Leading the chorus of praise were Indian cricketing icons Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, and Yuvraj Singh, who took to social media to celebrate the 38-year-old’s decorated career.

Virat Kohli, writing on X, paid tribute to his long-time teammate, stating: "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."

Fellow Mumbai and India legend Sachin Tendulkar also shared his admiration on X, reflecting on Rahane's selfless nature. Tendulkar noted that from their first time batting together for Mumbai, Rahane never chased moments, but rather let them come by doing "the hard yards for the team." Tendulkar added that this composure, which he said "isn't the opposite of aggression," defined Rahane's finest hour in Australia, inspiring fearlessness within the squad.

Former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh echoed these sentiments on Instagram, describing Rahane as one of the finest cricketers of his generation. He praised Rahane's ability to lead successfully in prestigious games, wishing him luck for his next chapter and affectionately signing off with, "Shakalaka baby."

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Rahane concludes his international journey having played 85 Tests yielding 5,077 runs, alongside 90 One Day Internationals scoring 2,962 runs, and 20 T20 Internationals.

Best remembered for stepping up to captain a depleted Indian side to a historic 2-1 series victory in Australia during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rahane leaves behind a legacy of resilience and tactical astuteness. In his emotional retirement video, the veteran acknowledged his journey from a young boy travelling from Dombivli to donning the India cap number 278, officially signing off from a sport that he credited with giving him everything.