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Yuzvendra Chahal Retires From First-Class Cricket, Targets White-Ball Return
Yuzvendra Chahal has stopped playing first-class cricket, which is the longer form of cricket that includes Test matches.
He said playing for India in a Test was a dream, but he now believes that dream will not happen.
Chahal began first-class cricket for Haryana in 2009.
He took 148 wickets in 49 matches.
His last first-class games were for Northamptonshire in England.
He played well there, taking 21 wickets in the 2026 County Championship.
Chahal says he is not retiring from shorter white-ball cricket.
He still wants to play one-day and T20 matches for India.
His last international match was a T20I against the West Indies in August 2023.
Yuzvendra Chahal has retired from first-class cricket after a 17-year red-ball career.
The leg-spinner never played Test cricket, despite carrying the ambition throughout his career.
Chahal finished with 148 wickets in 49 first-class matches at an average of 32.27.
His final first-class stint for Northamptonshire produced 21 wickets at 16.14 in the 2026 County Championship Division Two.
Chahal plans to continue playing white-ball cricket and hopes to earn another India opportunity in ODIs and T20Is.
- Who
- Yuzvendra Chahal, the India and Haryana leg-spinner.
- What
- He announced his retirement from first-class cricket while continuing his white-ball career.
- Where
- His final first-class match was for Northamptonshire against Middlesex at Lord's.
- When
- The announcement was made on Friday; his final first-class match was in the 2026 County Championship.
- Why
- He accepted that his long-standing Test ambition was no longer likely, while saying he still wants to play ODIs and T20Is for India.
Key facts
- First-class debut
- Haryana, 2009
- First-class record
- 148 wickets in 49 matches at an average of 32.27
- Best Ranji Trophy season
- 33 wickets in seven matches during 2016/17
- Final first-class team
- Northamptonshire
- 2026 County Championship figures
- 21 wickets at an average of 16.14
- India appearances
- 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is
- Last international appearance
- A T20I against the West Indies in August 2023
Quotes
Yuzvendra Chahal
Indian leg-spinner announcing his first-class retirement
“The hunger to play for my country is still very much alive. I believe I have the cricket left in me, and I will give everything I have to earn another opportunity in the One-Day and T20 formats.”
freepressjournal.in
thestatesman.com
“The first cricket ball I ever held was a red ball. I was 10 years old, and I had no idea then how deeply I would fall in love with this game.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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