Parents often wonder where the line lies between protecting a child and preparing them for the world. Should you always hold their hand? Or should you let go, even when it feels uncomfortable? One of Indian cricket’s most dependable batters, Ajinkya Rahane recently shared a childhood memory that beautifully captures this dilemma. It was about a quiet decision his father made when Rahane was just seven years old. ‘Jinks’ has announced his retirement on Thursday, 30th July. But the memories he gave the Indian Cricket fans will be etched in their hearts forever.
28 Jul 2026 | 16:22
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Speaking during a pre-match show on BBC some days back, Rahane recalled the moment that has stayed with him ever since. “When I was 7, I was travelling by local train to practice. The first day my father came and dropped me. He had to take leave from his office and he didn’t get paid. The second day he said ‘You will have to travel alone by local train.’”For many parents today, the idea of sending a seven-year-old alone on a crowded Mumbai local train may sound unimaginable. But for Rahane’s father, it was not about abandoning his son. It was about slowly teaching him to become independent. Every morning, a 7-year-old Rahane carried his own cricket kit bag through packed local trains, making his way to practice. He believed his father had trusted him enough to manage on his own. Years later, however, he discovered there was another side to the story.
The truth his father revealed years later
Indian Cricketer Ajinkya Rahane with his family.
Rahane said he only learnt the truth nearly five or six years afterwards. “I was just seven at the age of seven travelling with my own kit bag, the packed local train early hours, in Mumbai. After probably five or six years down the line, my father told me on that day he was following me from another compartment just to see if I reached the railway station okay or not. That actually hit me hard.”His father had never really left him alone. He had quietly travelled in another compartment, keeping an eye on his son the entire journey, making sure he reached safely without making the child feel watched or doubted. For Rahane, this became much bigger than a childhood memory.
The moment that became his biggest motivation
The story didn’t end with a train ride. It shaped the way Rahane looked at his parents and his own journey in cricket. He said, “That’s the time I decided, whatever I do from here on whether I play for my state or my country, I’ll do it for my parents and that motivation, that inspiration has always kept me going.”Sometimes children do not immediately understand the sacrifices parents make. Many sacrifices happen quietly that children never notice. Years later, when the dots are connected, those moments often become lifelong sources of gratitude and motivation. For Rahane, learning that his father had silently watched over him changed the meaning of that train journey forever.
The parenting lesson hidden in Rahane’s story
Ajinkya Rahane
What makes this story so powerful is that it is not really about travelling alone. It is about a parenting approach that is becoming increasingly difficult today. Many parents either become overprotective, stepping in at every challenge, or expect children to become independent overnight. Rahane’s father tried to make a balance. The child believed he was managing on his own, which built confidence and self-belief. At the same time, the father quietly stayed close enough to step in if anything went wrong.This is what psychologists often call a “secure base” that means children grow best when they are given opportunities to explore independently while knowing someone dependable is watching over them.
Sometimes the greatest parenting happens quietly
The most touching part of Rahane’s story is that his father never told him about following him that day. There was no expectation of praise. No reminder years later that “I sacrificed so much for you.” He simply did what he believed a parent should do. Perhaps that is why the memory stayed with Rahane for life. Children may not always notice what parents do in the moment. They may not understand why certain decisions are made or recognize the silent sacrifices behind them. But when those moments are built on trust, love and quiet support, they often leave an indelible mark.Ajinkya Rahane’s story reminds us that sometimes the strongest children are not raised by parents who never let go, but by parents who let go just enough, while quietly walking alongside, ready to catch them if they fall. Although, Ajinkya has bid goodbye to Cricket, everyone would remember Ajinkya as the crisis man of Indian Cricket who stood whenever the going was tough.
