Veteran Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal announced his retirement from first-class cricket on Friday, October 2. He last featured in red-ball cricket for Northamptonshire in the County Championship Division Two against Middlesex at Lord’s, where he picked two wickets. The game finished on September 26.

In an Instagram post, Chahal wrote: “The first cricket ball I ever held was a red ball. I was 10 years old, and I had no idea then how deeply I would fall in love with this game. 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.”

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“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 further added.

In the same social media post, Yuzvendra Chahal also revealed that he still hopes to represent Team India and will continue playing white-ball cricket.

He again wrote: “But I AM NOT DONE YET. 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. A special thank you to the Haryana Cricket Association, Mr. Ranbir Singh Mahindra Sir and Mr. Anirudh Singh Chaudhary Sir for their continuous support, trust and belief throughout my journey. From a 10-year-old holding his first red ball to playing his final First-Class game, it has been one h*ll of a journey.”