Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane on his international cricket journey, scoring overseas hundreds and the Rohit Sharma 2027 ODI World Cup debate. The session was moderated by Devendra Pandey, Deputy Associate Editor, The Indian ExpressDevendra Pandey: When did you get the call from within yourself that ‘I am done’?It was a tough call because it was a 30-year journey. I started playing cricket when I was 7-8 years old and represented every age group for Mumbai. After the IPL, I played the Mumbai Premier League (MPL) and then spent some time with my family, sharing what I was feeling. They were surprised because they had seen my entire journey.But I realised I was still enjoying cricket. Even in the MPL, the passion and effort were the same. I wanted to leave the game while I still felt that way rather than drag on. I didn’t want to look back later and feel I should have retired sooner. I have no regrets about the kind of cricket I played or the intensity and attitude I brought to it.Read | How CSK helped Ajinkya Rahane reinvent himselfDevendra Pandey: Did you speak to any of your teammates (about retirement) or was it only your family?I spoke to my father, my wife Radhika and Pravin (Amre) sir, who has been instrumental throughout my career. He said that if I had that feeling, I should respect it. I told him I still felt I could play for another two years, but I had no regrets. I achieved what I wanted and gave everything to the game. I also spoke to Prayagraj sir, whom I have followed since 2012-13 through Vedanta philosophy. He felt the same: ‘Because we all know that you have given your best. The way you have played on the ground, the attitude you have played with, you have always kept the team ahead. So, you know it better than us.’Devendra Pandey: Was the goodbye note the toughest video to make?Story continues below this adAfter recording the video, I cried a lot. I was emotional while discussing retirement with my family but I didn’t expect the recording itself to affect me so much. The reality hit that I would no longer do something I had loved for years.The feeling that now, I won’t be able to play for India again or go to the dressing room… so many years, from the dressing room to the ground, that wicket… my mind was always on that. That thought stayed with me throughout the recording.On deciding to retire | I realised I was still enjoying cricket, and wanted to leave the game while I still felt that way rather than drag on. I didn’t want to look back later and feel I should have retired soonerDevendra Pandey: Will the walk to and from the dressing room be one of the things you will miss?Yes. I will miss the walk from the dressing room to the ground, the anxiety, the nervousness and the preparation before every game. I will also miss the dressing room environment, the teammates and the memories we created together. Those are the things that stay with you for life, and I am grateful for the journey and everyone I played alongside.Story continues below this adVenkata Krishna B: Your debut came after a long wait. But once you got your chance, you scored hundreds away from home. Given that start and how it ended, how would you sum up your career?I am satisfied because I gave my all. Before making my debut, I spent five to six years in domestic cricket, and every season was a learning experience. Even when I was warming the bench on overseas tours of Australia and England, I learnt by watching the seniors prepare.Once I got my opportunity in South Africa, things went well. Throughout my career, it was always about the team. I never worried about my batting position and was happy to bat wherever the team needed me, from No. 3 to No. 7 in Tests and in multiple roles in ODIs. It was always about playing for the country, and I am really happy with my career.Read | Rahane reveals how he saved Jaiswal from a 4-match ban by sending him offSandip G: You scored several important hundreds, but you also scored a lot of key forties, fifties and sixties. Like in Durban and Bengaluru. How gratifying were those knocks?Story continues below this adIf you ask me about my best knocks, I would mention the 112 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (in 2020 against Australia) and the 103 at Lord’s (in 2014 against England). But some of my most satisfying innings were the 48 at Johannesburg (in 2018 against South Africa) and the unbeaten 38 in Sydney (in 2015 against Australia) that helped draw the Test.Batting at No. 5 meant I often walked in during different situations. It was never about milestones but about contributing to the team. Those challenging situations upped my game, which is why those forties, fifties and sixties were really special knocks.On his brand of leadership | As a leader, you sometimes have to take the blame. I wanted people to focus on me instead of the team so the players could perform freely. I felt I had to become a different version of myselfSandip G: Those performances came on different tracks too. The Bengaluru innings (against Australia in 2017) was on a turner; the Johannesburg pitch had uneven bounce.The situation we were in, in Bangalore (it was tough). They won the first Test match and were actually going well in the second Test. My 52 and the 118-run partnership with (Cheteshwar) Pujara changed the game, and we eventually won the series.Story continues below this adShankar Narayan: You scored hundreds at Wellington, Lord’s and Melbourne in 2014. Which knock remains the most special and why?Your first hundred is always special. Mine was the 118 at Wellington. Before that, I had been dismissed for 96 in Durban because I started thinking about the hundred. In Wellington, when I reached the 90s, I told Zaheer Khan that I wouldn’t think about the milestone and would simply watch the ball. That first hundred was really special because I stayed in the moment instead of thinking about the milestone.ALSO READ | Rahane: ‘There should be no debate. Let Rohit play till the 2027 World Cup’Venkata Krishna B: Once the World Test Championship (WTC) was introduced, you played on several challenging pitches, which ultimately had a bearing on the average. How hard was that phase?Story continues below this adIt was challenging but as a team, we accepted that approach because WTC points made home victories crucial. Taking advantage of spin-friendly conditions was the best thing to do in India, just as overseas teams used seaming conditions to their advantage.Yes, batting averages dropped, but the focus was always on getting better and contributing to the team. The easiest position to bat was top two in India at that time because the ball was new and the wicket was really good. Batting in the middle order became tougher as the ball got older, started reversing and the pitch deteriorated. Sometimes, even scores of 30 or 40 were really crucial.Ketan: Can you talk to us about the century in each innings against South Africa in Delhi in 2015?Before those two hundreds, the wickets had been difficult, and I knew I needed to trust my game while making a few tweaks. The Bengaluru Test had also been washed out for four days, giving me time to reflect. That helped me score hundreds in both innings. It remains a special memory.Story continues below this adRead | Ajinkya Rahane on Kuldeep Yadav’s career: ‘Tough when you’re in and out of XI’Sandip G: You, Pujara and Kohli played a lot of cricket together from the first-class days till India. How was the bonding between the three of you?Pujara and I played a lot together in domestic cricket, while Virat and I spent more time together playing for India. But the bonding we had was really good. We shared one goal — taking India’s Test team to the top. From being ranked sixth or seventh in 2015, we gradually became the No. 1 Test side. We constantly discussed and analysed the game, learnt from each other and built a strong bond. Before becoming champions, we also went through difficult phases together in Tests, but it was enjoyable.Devendra Pandey: Did any teammate speak to you after you announced your retirement? Which message was the most touching?The first call came from Sachin (Tendulkar) paaji, who said he thought I would play for longer. I told him I didn’t want to drag on because I was retiring without any regrets. Irfan Pathan also called, while Pujara, Virat, Rohit and Bumrah all messaged me. I told everyone the same thing: I was satisfied because I had given everything to the game.Story continues below this adDevendra Pandey: In India, you played alongside the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. How did the Indian dressing-room culture evolve during your career?When I entered the Indian team in 2011, I spent the first five-six months observing the seniors. Sachin paaji, Rahul Dravid, (VVS) Laxman bhai, MS (Dhoni) and Viru paaji (Virender Sehwag) were all very supportive. Back then, only the playing XI got enough time in the nets. The ones outside did not bat a lot in the nets. But what I learned from watching them, I applied when I started playing. As the seniors phased out, the atmosphere changed. Since many of us had played together before, the camaraderie and togetherness was different. Our thinking was different. We believed playing an aggressive brand of cricket could make us win more matches. Then, when a younger generation came in, we wanted to create a welcoming dressing room, appreciate performances and leave no room for ego or jealousy.Nihal Koshie: You were always calm and composed, without showing emotion as captain. Does that come naturally to you?I have always been calm on the field. I do have emotions but I don’t show them openly. Everyone has their own style and way of expressing themselves, and I never wanted to copy anyone. I learnt from many players during my career but when I got the opportunity to lead, I wanted to stay true to my own style because of the experience of having played for so long.Shankar Narayan: Kuldeep Yadav made his Test debut under your captaincy against Australia in 2017. Where do you see his career right now?Kuldeep has developed immensely over the last four or five years, especially with his pace through the air. It is tough for any player who is in and out of the playing XI because cricket is all about rhythm, whether you are batting or bowling.Kuldeep is a quality spinner. That is why I backed him in Dharamsala. I knew he was a wicket-taker. Even though he was inexperienced at the time, I believed throwing him into that situation would help because I was confident he would perform. You need to back your players, especially when they are match-winners.Shuvaditya Bose: You rediscovered your batting in T20 cricket in IPL 2023, where we saw a big jump in your strike rate. How did you change your mindset and batting approach?From 2019, after leaving Rajasthan Royals (RR), I hardly got opportunities with Delhi Capitals (DC) and spent one season with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). A player needs confidence and surety to play with freedom. Before DC, I played for RR for eight years. My job was to anchor the innings while others attacked around me. I played accordingly.Before IPL 2023, I spent two months preparing and worked on expanding my range of shots. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) also made one thing very clear: Whenever I got an opportunity, they would back me completely. I wasn’t even supposed to play my first game but an injury gave me the chance. That innings against Mumbai changed everything but it was built on the preparation I had put in beforehand.Mayank Chaudhary: Last year when you led KKR in the IPL, you faced a lot of unusual scrutiny. You were vocal about what was happening. What was going through your mind then?I was vocal because I wanted to take the pressure away from my teammates, especially our inexperienced bowling attack. I wanted people to focus on me instead of the team so the players could perform freely. As a leader, you sometimes have to take the blame. We had lost five of our first six games but I had seen what our bowlers could do in the nets and believed they would deliver. I am generally not very outspoken, but I felt I had to become a different version of myself. It worked and we started winning.Shuvaditya Bose: During 2022’s Duleep Trophy final, there was an incident where you asked Yashasvi Jaiswal to go into the dressing room for a few overs. What made you take that decision at that stage?Growing up in Mumbai, playing cricket in the city teaches you discipline and respect for the game. I sensed that the situation was, maybe, getting out of hand and felt it was my responsibility to control my teammate. I told Yashasvi to go inside, cool down for five or six overs and return. Later, the match referee told me he had prepared a four-match ban but tore up the letter because I had intervened. As a leader, you have to read the situation and act. So in the end, I was happy. He didn’t get any ban and now he is playing for India.Sriram Veera : You were a senior player and continued playing after the 2023 WTC final. Do you feel there should be better communication from selectors about where you stand? What were you going through during that phase?Whatever I had to say on that topic, I have already said. I don’t want to look back because I genuinely enjoyed my career.Whether it was a hundred or a crucial forty or fifty, I was the happiest when my contribution helped India win. The love I received after retiring was overwhelming, and that’s what I want to remember.Sriram Veera: There was a lot of speculation recently about Rohit Sharma’s ODI future. Should there be clarity that he would play the 2027 ODI World Cup, or should it be seen from a series-to-series viewpoint?I think it is important to tell Rohit Sharma he is going to play the 2027 ODI World Cup. Just look at his contribution over several years. It has been amazing. You need the experience of such a player in a World Cup. There should be no discussions around it. You can’t look at it series by series because he is such a big player. Cricket is a game of rhythm, whether you are a youngster or an experienced player. There is no need to talk about his quality. There should be no debate. If he wants to play the 2027 World Cup, he should play. You can’t doubt his intensity and attitude. Performances can go up and down but his experience could be useful in crucial matches. We should let them (Rohit and Virat Kohli) play freely. Everyone gets to that stage in their careers but seniors also like it when the captain and the team management back them. Let them just play till the 2027 World Cup.Jayashree Narayanan: How have your diet and fitness routines changed post-retirement?Retirement makes it tougher because I am a foodie. But fitness still matters after playing at the highest level for 14-15 years.I always kept things simple and learnt what suited my body. Balance was the key. Karate and judo from my childhood helped me, while I focused on speed, agility and power rather than heavy lifting. Homemade food remains my comfort food and my favourite dish is matkichi usal.Devendra Pandey: What next for Ajinkya Rahane?I don’t know. I retired only recently. Sab news ab de dunga toh kaise hoga? (How can I reveal everything right now?)Devendra Pandey: How do you want the world to remember you?A warrior and a perfect team man.