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The recently retired Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane opened up about the secret behind his unforgettable partnerships with Virat Kohli in Test cricket and his relationship with the former captain.
Rahane said that he and Kohli had very different personalities and batting styles, but that was exactly what made them such a successful batting partner for India. After the Mumbaikar announced his retirement from the game, the former Indian captain called him his best batting partner.
Ajinkya Rahane reveals the real secret behind his iconic Test partnership with Virat Kohli
Now, days after calling time on his playing career, Ajinkya Rahane shared that Virat Kohli always played with great energy and aggression, while he liked to stay calm and patient at the crease. And this perfect mix helped them build many important partnerships for the team in difficult situations.
Rahane said that they always had open and honest communication while batting together. They kept talking to each other during the innings, shared ideas, and trusted each other's decisions. Rahane feels this understanding was one of the biggest reasons behind their successful partnerships. Amid this, Shubman Gill's India train under unprecedented security in Colombo, fans barred.
Ajinkya Rahane said on The Overlap Cricket podcast, "First, I really enjoyed batting with him. We complemented each other really well. The aggressive nature of Virat Kohli and then my calm nature really helped us a lot. The reason for those partnerships was always the positive communication and the frank communication we had.”
Ajinkya Rahane reveals how Virat Kohli gave him complete freedom at the crease
The former India vice-captain also revealed that Kohli always gave him the freedom to play his natural game. Kohli never asked Rahane to slow down or change his style; instead, he encouraged him to attack whenever he felt confident, even if it was from the very first ball.
Rahane further said of his relationship with Kohli, “It was always positive. He said, 'Well, Jinx, just play your game.' Because naturally I'm an attacking batsman. He said, 'If you feel like going after a particular bowler, don't hesitate at all.' He never told me, 'Let's see how it feels; take out 10 or 15 balls and then play your game. 'If you feel like going after the first ball, go for it.”
Ajinkya Rahane reveals the secret behind his successful Test partnership with Virat Kohli
The former KKR captain revealed that he always supported Virat Kohli's plans on the field, and whenever he wanted to attack a particular bowler, he always backed his decision and gave him confidence to continue. He also said their successful partnership was built on trust, honest conversations, and a strong understanding both on and off the field.
Rahane signed off by saying, “Whenever Virat thought of going against a particular bowler and my response was positive, he did it. Virat was the guy who always liked people who were coming after him. Whenever they asked me, 'Should I sledge him back?' I said, 'Yeah, if that works for you, go for it. 'It was that frank communication that helped us a lot.”
"He was always positive." ❤️
— Stick to Cricket (@StickToCricket) August 5, 2026
Ajinkya Rahane on his relationship with Virat Kohli! 🇮🇳 🤩 pic.twitter.com/uquwhYFBUD
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane's incredible Test numbers show why they were a special pair
The numbers show how successful the pair of Rahane and Kohli was. Kohli and Rahane scored 3,661 runs together in 67 Test innings at an average of 51.45.
They added 14 partnerships of fifty or more and 12 century partnerships, making them the fifth-highest run-scoring Indian pair in Test cricket.
They were equally successful outside India as well. The duo put together 1,950 runs in overseas Test matches, making them one of India's most successful batting pairs in overseas conditions in Tests.
