Ajinkya Rahane reflects on international retirement and coaching ambitions

Ajinkya Rahane (Pic: File)

Former Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has expressed complete peace with his decision to retire from international cricket, stating he gave his absolute all throughout a 14-year career. The veteran middle-order batter also signalled his interest in moving into coaching and mentorship roles in the future.

Rahane shared his thoughts following his announcement as a marquee player for the Amsterdam Flames in the inaugural European T20 Premier League (ETPL).

Reflecting on his decision to step away, Rahane revealed he pondered the choice for nearly a month before making it official.

"I am very happy with my decision. I am very happy with the kind of cricket I have played. I am a person who never likes to look back. So, when I took this decision, I was probably thinking for over 25-30 days, almost a month, before making it. Every single day, I was questioning myself: 'Are there any regrets? Are there any things I wanted to have done differently?. But the answer I got was: no regrets at all. I did everything as a player; whatever things I had in my control, probably more than that, I gave my 200 per cent every single time," Rahane told ANI.

"No regrets at all. I do not want to look back and probably say, 'Okay, I miss that thing'. I think I have achieved everything. I am really happy with the career I had. As a player, if you think that you have given everything, have no regrets and are happy at the end of your career, I think it is the best feeling. So I have that feeling," he added.

Rahane talks about his future coaching ambition

Looking ahead, Rahane aims to share his knowledge across global leagues while eyeing a transition into mentorship.

"See, for me as a cricketer, the responsibility is, as I said, I want to think about it in a bigger way. I don't want to keep my experience in a smaller circle; I want to share my experience globally. Whichever league I play for, I do not want to just put a number on it or say, 'I want to play this league only' or 'I want to play that league only.' I want to share my experience while playing the leagues around the world; share my knowledge and share my experience globally," he said.

(With inputs from ANI)