Ajinkya Rahane (Photo: IPL)
Ajinkya Rahane entered the record books by becoming the 11th cricketer to play 200 matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The milestone came during Kolkata Knight Riders’ clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026 at the Eden Gardens.Rahane, who made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians in 2008, has been one of the most consistent performers in the league over the years. Prior to this historic game, the veteran batsman had scored 5,099 runs in 199 IPL matches, with 2 centuries and 34 fifties at an average of around 30.
Ajinkya Rahane started his IPL journey with Mumbai Indians, representing them in the first two editions (2008 and 2009). He then moved to Rajasthan Royals, where he had a long stint from 2011 to 2015 and returned again in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Rahane was part of the Rising Pune Supergiants setup in 2016 and 2017 before he joined Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2020 through a trade deal, where he played till 2021. Rahane was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2022 Mega Auction and re-signed in the 2025 Mega Auction. Since 2025, he has been a key part of KKR and is currently leading the team as the captain.Elite company in IPL historyWith this feat, Rahane joined the list of players who have crossed the 200-match mark in IPL history. Only 10 players have played more matches, with MS Dhoni at the top, followed by Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran AshwinShikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappaand Ambati Rayudu.Rahane’s longevity and consistency across teams and roles underlines his importance in the league, transforming from a classical top-order batsman to a reliable captain for Kolkata.
