Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has announced his retirement from first-class cricket, bringing his red-ball career to an end. However, the 36-year-old made it clear that he is not retiring from white-ball cricket and still wants to represent India in ODIs and T20Is.
Chahal began his first-class career with Haryana in 2009 and finished with 148 wickets in 49 matches. His final first-class appearance came for Northamptonshire against Middlesex at Lord’s during the 2026 County Championship. He took 21 wickets in five matches during his final county season.
Test Dream Remains Unfulfilled
Chahal never played a Test match for India, despite carrying the ambition throughout his career. Reflecting on his decision, he said his final first-class game at Lord’s was an emotional moment because playing Test cricket had always been one of his dreams. He also expressed gratitude for everything red-ball cricket gave him.
Despite stepping away from first-class cricket, Chahal said his international ambitions remain intact. He wants to continue competing in the ODI and T20 formats and work towards another opportunity with the Indian team. His last international appearance came in a T20I against the West Indies in August 2023.
