Yuzvendra Chahal has retired from red-ball cricket immediately and concluded his first-class career. The star Indian leg-spinner, who never had the chance to play Test cricket for his country, played his last match in whites for Northamptonshire at Lord's Cricket Ground.
Chahal announced the news on his Instagram page on Friday, writing about how his innings in the longest form of the game came to an end. The 36-year-old, however, reiterated that his desire to return to the ODI and T20I teams of India still exists.
Yuzvendra Chahal ends first-class career after 49 matches
Yuzvendra Chahal played 49 first-class matches in his career, picking up 148 wickets at an average of 32.27. He also recorded the best bowling figures in the format of 6/25.
The leg-spinner has continued to play county cricket for Northamptonshire and has played five County Championship matches for the 2026–27 season, recording 21 wickets. He picked up a career-best haul of nine wickets in the County match against Durham. Chahal picked up five wickets in the first innings.
Chahal's final first-class match was against Middlesex at Lord's, where he picked up two wickets. The match was also the end of his long association with red-ball cricket, which has proven to be integral to his cricket.
“The first cricket ball I ever held was red. I was 10 years old, and I had no idea how much I would fall in love with this beautiful game. For me, red-ball cricket was never 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,” Chahal wrote on Instagram.
“I played my last First-Class match at Lord's. I am sure saying this 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,” he added.
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'I AM NOT DONE YET': Yuzvendra Chahal targets India comeback
While Chahal has brought an end to his red-ball career, he is determined to target an India comeback.
The leg-spinner has said his ambition to play for the country in white-ball remains the same, and is confident that he has enough cricket in him to get another opportunity in the ODI and T20I.
“The red ball gave me some of the most beautiful memories of my life, and nothing will ever take that away. But I AM NOT DONE YET. The hunger to play for my country is still very much alive. I believe I have the cricket in me and I will give everything I have to earn another opportunity in the One-Day and T20 formats,” Chahal wrote.
“From a 10-year-old holding his first red ball to playing his final First-Class game, it has been one hell of a journey,” he said.
Yuzvendra Chahal never made his Test debut for India despite his success in limited-overs cricket. His last appearance for the national team came in August 2023, when he played a T20I match against the West Indies. His most recent ODI appearance came earlier that year, when he took on New Zealand in Indore in January.
Overall, Chahal has represented India in 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is, picking up 217 wickets in the two formats. He has also remained a prominent performer for Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, though he has been unable to secure a return to the national side recently.