India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has announced his retirement from first-class cricket, closing the book on a 17-year red-ball career — while making it clear he is not done with the game. The announcement, made in an Instagram post on Friday, October 2, drew a line under his long-cherished dream of earning a Test cap.
"I played my last First-Class match at Lord's, saying these words is emotional as a Test cap was always a dream, one that I carried with me for many years. It may not have happened, but I am genuinely content with the journey I have had and incredibly grateful for every opportunity that came my way in this format," Chahal wrote.
"For me, red-ball cricket was never just another format. It was where I learned the meaning of patience, character, resilience and the pure joy of being out there for hours, fighting for every run and every wicket," he added.
The numbers
Chahal made his first-class debut for Haryana in 2009 and finishes with 148 wickets from 49 matches, including six five-wicket hauls. His final appearance in the format came last month, playing for Northamptonshire against Middlesex in the English county championship at Lord's. In his final first-class season for Northants, he took 21 wickets in five games, including a nine-wicket match haul against Durham.
Despite a long domestic and county career, the leg-spinner never got the opportunity to play Test cricket for India — though he was once picked for India A against South Africa A when the team management was looking for a wrist-spinner.
Not done yet
Chahal, who has represented India in 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is, stressed that his red-ball retirement changes nothing about his white-ball ambitions. His last international appearance came in a T20I against the West Indies in August 2023, and he was part of India's 2024 Men's T20 World Cup-winning squad.
Declaring "But I AM NOT DONE YET", he said the hunger to play for the country was still very much alive and that he would give everything to earn another opportunity in the one-day and T20 formats. He continues to play List A and T20 cricket and remains the highest wicket-taker in Indian Premier League history, where he currently plays for Punjab Kings.
Sources: 'Hunger to play for India is still alive': Yuzvendra Chahal retires from red-ball format — Deccan Herald, Yuzvendra Chahal retires from first-class cricket, vows to continue playing white-ball formats — IANS
"I played my last First-Class match at Lord's, saying these words is emotional as a Test cap was always a dream, one that I carried with me for many years. It may not have happened, but I am genuinely content with the journey I have had and incredibly grateful for every opportunity that came my way in this format," Chahal wrote.
"For me, red-ball cricket was never just another format. It was where I learned the meaning of patience, character, resilience and the pure joy of being out there for hours, fighting for every run and every wicket," he added.
The numbers
Chahal made his first-class debut for Haryana in 2009 and finishes with 148 wickets from 49 matches, including six five-wicket hauls. His final appearance in the format came last month, playing for Northamptonshire against Middlesex in the English county championship at Lord's. In his final first-class season for Northants, he took 21 wickets in five games, including a nine-wicket match haul against Durham.
Despite a long domestic and county career, the leg-spinner never got the opportunity to play Test cricket for India — though he was once picked for India A against South Africa A when the team management was looking for a wrist-spinner.
Not done yet
Chahal, who has represented India in 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is, stressed that his red-ball retirement changes nothing about his white-ball ambitions. His last international appearance came in a T20I against the West Indies in August 2023, and he was part of India's 2024 Men's T20 World Cup-winning squad.
Declaring "But I AM NOT DONE YET", he said the hunger to play for the country was still very much alive and that he would give everything to earn another opportunity in the one-day and T20 formats. He continues to play List A and T20 cricket and remains the highest wicket-taker in Indian Premier League history, where he currently plays for Punjab Kings.
Sources: 'Hunger to play for India is still alive': Yuzvendra Chahal retires from red-ball format — Deccan Herald, Yuzvendra Chahal retires from first-class cricket, vows to continue playing white-ball formats — IANS
