Not Virat Or Dhoni! Rahane Picks Former Captain As Greatest Indian Cricketer Of All Time

News cricket Not Virat Or Dhoni! Rahane Picks Former Captain As Greatest Indian Cricketer Of All Time

Not Virat Or Dhoni! Rahane Picks Former Captain As Greatest Indian Cricketer Of All Time

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Last Updated: August 06, 2026, 18:35 IST

Rahane, who represented India in all three formats, admitted that it was difficult to pick just one name, but after giving it some thought, he chose Sachin Tendulkar.

Ajinkya Rahane picks greatest Indian cricketer of all time. (Picture Credit: AFP)

Former India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who recently announced his retirement from all forms of cricket during an episode of Stick to Cricket, has named the greatest Indian cricketer of all time. Rahane, who represented India in all three formats from 2011 to 2023, admitted that it was difficult to pick just one name, but after giving it some thought, he chose Sachin Tendulkar.

“I think it’s very hard to take one name but… probably Sachin Tendulkar. I think all the eras," Rahane said.

Sachin? Kohli? Gavaskar? 🤩Who is Rahane’s greatest Indian cricketer of all time? 👀 @ajinkyarahane88] pic.twitter.com/h7COn8dKku — Stick to Cricket (@StickToCricket) August 6, 2026

Tendulkar played 664 international matches for India during his illustrious 24-year career, spanning from November 15, 1989, to November 16, 2013. He represented India in 200 Tests, 463 ODIs and one T20I, scoring 15,921, 18,426 and 10 runs, respectively.

Tendulkar, who played a pivotal role in India’s 2011 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup triumph, holds the records for the most runs in both Test and ODI cricket. He also holds the record for playing the most Test matches and ODIs in international cricket.

As captain, Tendulkar led India in 25 Tests, winning four, losing nine and drawing 12. In ODIs, he captained India in 73 matches, winning 23, losing 43, with one match ending in a tie and six producing no result.

Rahane made his India debut in a T20I against England in Manchester on August 31, 2011. He played one Test alongside Tendulkar for India and had earlier shared the dressing room with the Master Blaster at the Mumbai Indians during the 2009 IPL season, as well as in domestic cricket for Mumbai.

During his international career, which spanned more than 12 years, Rahane played the majority of his matches under the captaincy of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. He was a key member of India’s squad during the historic 2018-19 Test series win in Australia and, two years later, led the team to another memorable Test series triumph in Australia.

Rahane is one of the few Indian cricketers to have captained the national team in all three formats. He scored Test centuries in Australia, England and New Zealand, and represented six IPL franchises during his career—Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Rising Pune Supergiants, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.

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About the Author Harshit Bisht Senior Sub-editor Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist at CNN-News18, where he has been covering cricket, football, and major sporting events from around the world since July 1, 2024. Driven by a passion for storytelli... Read More

First Published: August 06, 2026, 18:35 IST

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