Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal announced his retirement from First-Class cricket on Friday, October 2. Chahal played his last first-class game for Northamptonshire in the County Championship Division
Two against Middlesex at Lord’s. He ended up picking two wickets in the game.
The 36-year-old who was a part of India’s T20 World Cup 2024 winning squad took to Instagram to share a few pictures and pen an emotional note. He wrote that playing Tests for India was always his dream, and though it couldn’t happen, the red-ball cricket gave him so many memories. He also highlighted how the game helped him build character, resilience and patience over the years.
“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 wrote.
View this post on Instagram
“I played my last First-Class match at Lords, 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.
“The red ball gave me some of the most beautiful memories of my life, and nothing will ever take that away,” he added.
I am not done yet: Yuzvendra Chahal announces eyeing comeback to national side
However, in his note, the cricketer also announced that is the end of his FC career only, and he is still ready to give everything for the national call up. The cricketer went on to assert that he will do everything possible to earn a call up to represent India in the ODIs and the T20I formats.
“But I AM NOT DONE YET,” Chahal added.
“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,” he went on to say.
Chahal played a total of 49 first-class matches during his career and claimed 148 wickets at an average of 32.27 and a strike rate of 61.85. He picked six five-wicket hauls and had the best figures of 6/44. In his India career, Chahal played 152 games in the Blue jersey across ODIs and T20Is, where he claimed 217 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls.
