The man who scripted one of Indian cricket's greatest overseas triumphs has finally walked away from the international stage.

Ajinkya Rahane, the understated batter who captained an injury-hit Indian side to a historic Test series victory in Australia in 2021, announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday, saying the ‘timing is right’ to bring an end to his journey in India colours.

The 38-year-old shared the announcement through an emotional video on Instagram, captioned, 'Cap number 278, signing off.' Although he had remained hopeful of an India comeback, even during this year's IPL, Rahane said he now believes it is time to move forward.

'The reality of life is that everything has a beginning, and everything has an end. When that time comes, you simply have to respect it and move forward. I always relied on timing in my batting, and I've always understood its importance. Today, I feel the timing is right for me to move on and announce my retirement from international cricket, and all formats,' he said.

Rahane represented India in 85 Tests, 90 One-Day Internationals and 20 T20 Internationals after making his international debut in 2013. Across formats, he leaves behind an accomplished record.

In Tests, he scored 5,077 runs at an average of 38.46, including 12 centuries and 26 half-centuries.

He also amassed 2,962 runs in 90 ODIs at an average of 35.26 with three hundreds and 24 fifties, while adding 375 runs in 20 T20Is.

While his numbers underline consistency, Rahane's defining legacy remains the remarkable 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Taking over the captaincy after Virat Kohli's departure, Rahane led a severely depleted Indian side to a stunning 2-1 series win in Australia, a campaign widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in Indian Test history.

Reflecting on his journey, Rahane recalled the sacrifices made during his early years, travelling from Dombivli to pursue his cricketing dream.

'From those early days, travelling from Dombivali as a young boy, just to practice, I gave this game everything I had. Every single day, every innings, every opportunity I got to bat, the dream was always to wear the India cap,' he said.

The veteran batter also made it clear that his association with cricket is far from over.

Having already featured as a commentator in various tournaments, Rahane said he now wants to mentor young cricketers and contribute to the sport beyond the boundary rope.

'While my chapter, as an Indian cricketer, comes to an end, my journey with the game doesn't. I look forward to helping the next generation, sharing the values the sport has taught me, and giving back to the game that has given me everything,' he said.

Ending on an emotional note, Rahane reflected on the highs and lows of a career that stretched over two decades.

'Ajinkya means unbeatable. But cricket has shown me defeat many times. As cricketers, we fail more often than we succeed. My team has lost matches. I have made mistakes, but there is one place where I was never defeated, and that was in your heart. You always treated me like your own.'

Although he had not played for India since the 2023 Test series in the West Indies, Rahane continued to remain active in domestic cricket.

He captained Mumbai until the 2024-25 season and led the side to its record-extending 42nd Ranji Trophy title in the 2023-24 campaign.

For Indian cricket, Rahane's farewell marks the end of a career remembered not only for elegant strokeplay, but also for calm leadership when the team needed it the most.