On Friday, October 2, India’s forgotten spinner Yuzvendra Chahal announced his retirement from First-Class cricket, bidding adieu to a 17-year-long career in the format. The 36-year-old made his debut
in the format in November 2009 in a clash against Madhya Pradesh and the last game came in County Championship Division Two where Northamptonshire locked horns with Middlesex.
Chahal picked two wickets in the game, and decided to pull curtains of his exciting journey. In an emotional note shared on Instagram, Chahal stated how he always wanted to don the Test cap, and though the dream couldn’t turn into a reality, red-ball cricket will always remain very close to his heart. In the same note, he mentioned that he is “not done yet,” and is ready to give it all to get an India call-up in the remaining two formats.
There was an era when Chahal was almost impossible to be left out of the white-ball plans, and it didn’t take him much time to become one of the most reliable wicket-takers in limited-overs cricket. He also went on to become IPL’s leading wicket-taker, which clearly shows the mettle that he has always had. However, now, the Haryana-born has found himself trying to reopen a door that once looked firmly his.
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Chahal Eyes White-Ball Comeback
Chahal’s last appearance for India came in August 2023 against West Indies, and since then, he has remained a prominent figure in domestic and franchise cricket. However, he couldn’t make his comeback to the national side. However, he was a part of India’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, but didn’t feature in any match.
Though, his numbers show that the experienced spinner has not just disappeared from competitive cricket. In the latest edition of the Indian Premier League, he picked up 12 wickets for the Punjab Kings. Moreover, playing for Northamptonshire in 2026, Chahal finished his County Championship campaign with 21 wickets at 16.14, the second best of any bowler with at least 20 wickets in Division Two of the 2026 County Championship.
These performances highlight his craft and skills are still effective, even though Team India has seemingly moved on from him. He has played 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is for the side, but the challenge now remains is if he can still impress Indian selectors.
