Ajinkya Rahane (Image: IPL)
Ajinkya Rahane etched his name in 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 in 2008 for Mumbai Indians, has been one of the most consistent players in the league over the years. Prior to this landmark performance, the veteran batsman had appeared in 199 IPL matches and scored 5,099 runs at an average of around 30, including 2 centuries and 34 fifties.
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IPL 2026: Ajinkya Rahane backs KKR’s young attack after loss 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 enjoyed a long stint from 2011 to 2015 and returned again for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Rahane was part of the Rising Pune Super Giants squad in 2016 and 2017 before joining Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2020 via a trade deal where he played until 2021. He later featured for Chennai Super Kings in the 2023 and 2023 seasons. 2024. Rahane was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2022 mega auction and re-signed in the 2025 mega auction. He has been a key part of KKR since 2025 and is currently leading the side as captain.Elite company in IPL historyWith this achievement, Rahane joins the elite list of players who have crossed the 200-match mark in IPL history. Only 10 players have played more matches than him, with MS Dhoni leading the list, followed by Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa and Ambati Rayudu.Rahane’s longevity and adaptability across teams and roles underlines his importance in the league as he has evolved from a classic top-order batsman to a reliable captain for Kolkata.
