Yuzvendra Chahal Retires From First-Class Cricket but Eyes India Return
Yuzvendra Chahal ends his red-ball career with 148 first-class wickets and says he still wants another chance with India in ODIs and T20Is.
By SportCricket Desk · 2 Oct 2026 · 3 min read
Yuzvendra Chahal has retired from first-class cricket, but the 36-year-old spinner insists he still wants to play for India in white-ball cricket.
The final red-ball game
His last first-class match was for Northamptonshire against Middlesex at Lord’s in County Championship Division Two, finishing on September 26. He took two wickets, bringing to an end a three-year spell with the county.
Chahal said red-ball cricket taught him patience, resilience and character. He also said playing a Test for India had always been a dream that never came true.
The numbers
He finishes with 148 first-class wickets, including six five-wicket hauls and best figures of 6/44. He played first-class cricket for Haryana before joining Northamptonshire.
Still hungry for India
Chahal was clear that this is not the end of his international ambitions. He wrote that the desire to play for his country is still strong, that he believes he has cricket left, and that he will work to earn another opportunity in ODIs and T20Is.
He last played for India in August 2023, against West Indies. He has taken 217 wickets in 152 ODI and T20I appearances and was part of the squad that won the 2024 T20 World Cup.
With red-ball cricket behind him, his focus now moves fully to limited-overs formats.
