Yuzvendra Chahal retires from first-class cricket but targets white-ball return
Chahal ends his first-class career after 49 matches and 148 wickets but says he is not done with international white-ball cricket.
Yuzvendra Chahal announced his retirement from first-class cricket on Friday after playing his final red-ball match for Northamptonshire at Lord's. The leg-spinner took 148 wickets in 49 first-class matches at an average of 32.27, with best figures of 6 for 25. In the 2026-27 County Championship season he claimed 21 wickets in five matches, including a nine-wicket haul against Durham.
Chahal said a Test cap remained an unfulfilled dream but he leaves the format content with his journey. He stressed that his hunger to play for India remains alive and he will focus on earning another opportunity in ODIs and T20Is, where he has taken 217 wickets across 152 appearances. His last international match came in a T20I against West Indies in August 2023.
Chahal made his India debut in 2016 and has been a consistent performer for Punjab Kings in the IPL. He will now concentrate solely on white-ball cricket at domestic and international level.
CricHubb Take
Chahal's decision removes one of India's most experienced white-ball options from red-ball contention at a time when spin depth in longer formats is already thin.