Mumbai, 21 Aug

Veteran India batter Ajinkya Rahane on Thursday stepped down from his position as Mumbai captain ahead of the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, saying it is the right time to groom a new leader.

The 37-year-old, who has amassed 14000 runs in 201 first-class matches, however, will continue to play as a batter in the team. The Ranji season begins on 15 October and Mumbai will be up against Jammu and Kashmir in their opening game.

"Captaining and winning the championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour. With the new domestic season ahead, I believe it is the right time to groom a new leader, and hence, I have decided not to continue in the captaincy role,” wrote the veteran cricketer in X.

"I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player, and will continue my journey with MCA to help us win more trophies, looking forward to the season," he added.

Under his captaincy, Mumbai clinched the Ranji Trophy title in the 2023–24 season with a victory over Vidarbha in the final. He also guided the team to triumph in the Irani Cup 2024–25, overcoming the Rest of India (ROI) side. Before these red-ball achievements, he led Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in 2022–23, cementing his reputation as one of the finest captains in Indian domestic cricket.

Rahane, who famously captained India to a Test series win in Australia in 2021, is not on the national selectors' radar anymore but he remains determined to make a national comeback. He has played 85 Tests for India with the last one coming against the West Indies back in July 2023. He has also featured in 90 ODIs and 20 T20 Internationals.

Rahane also reinvented his game in the shortest format, eventually leading to his elevation as Kolkata Knight Riders skipper in IPL 2025. Rahane and another senior batter Cheteshwar Pujara are continuing to play in hope of making an India comeback.