How a Steve Waugh Call Brought Ajinkya Rahane into the ETPL Fold

For Ajinkya Rahane, five minutes after his international retirement, a new chapter began.

On the day Rahane announced his retirement from international cricket, the former India batter received an unexpected call from one of cricket’s most respected leaders: Steve Waugh. The Australian great wanted to know if Rahane would consider joining the Amsterdam Flames in the inaugural European T20 Premier League.

It was hardly an ordinary day for Rahane.

“When I announced my retirement from all formats and international cricket, I think five minutes later, Steve Waugh called me and asked me if I would be happy to join his team,” Rahane said.

 By the following day, the decision was made. Rahane said yes.

The speed of Waugh’s approach was symbolic of the opportunity the ETPL represents for a player who has spent almost two decades operating at the highest level of cricket. Having represented India across formats and built a 19-year career in the IPL, Rahane now has the chance to take that experience into a new cricketing environment.

“I was going through a lot of emotions that day when I announced my retirement. So, I said, okay, just give me a day to think through this and I’ll get back,” Rahane told ETPL.

For Waugh, the call was not simply about adding another experienced name to the Amsterdam Flames squad. Rahane’s arrival fits into a broader philosophy around the franchise, bringing together international experience and emerging European talent while creating an environment where players can learn from one another.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to be part of ETPL. The amount of experience I have, the kind of cricket I have played for so many years, international cricket, and also franchise cricket, IPL since the beginning, 19 years. So great opportunity for me to go globally, share my experience, share my knowledge,” Rahane, a veteran of over 190 international matches further said.

But there is another side to Rahane’s decision that makes his move particularly significant. He is not ready to walk away from the game. Despite announcing his retirement from international cricket, his passion for playing remains intact.

“I am still passionate about the game. I still want to play cricket,” Rahane said.

That desire gives his ETPL journey an intriguing dimension. Rahane arrives with the experience of playing against some of the world’s best, but he also arrives with the curiosity of a player entering a new environment and wanting to continue learning.

And that is where his partnership with Waugh becomes particularly interesting. Two highly respected former captains, both shaped by international cricket, now find themselves working together from a different side of the game. Waugh brings his experience of building successful teams and cultures; Rahane brings almost two decades of experience from international and franchise cricket.

Their relationship began with a phone call just minutes after Rahane’s retirement. It could now become one of the defining partnerships of the Amsterdam Flames in the inaugural ETPL campaign.

For Rahane, the decision ultimately came down to opportunity. “We connected the next day... and we said yes to Steve Waugh.”

A retirement announcement may have closed one chapter of his career. But five minutes later, the legendary Steve Waugh had opened another.