India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal announced his retirement from red-ball cricket on Friday. Chahal said, "The hunger to play for my country is still very much alive." He never played a Test match but now wants to make a comeback to India's white-ball teams. He last played for India in 2023.
India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal announced his retirement from red-ball cricket on Friday. Chahal, who has never played a Test match for India, conceded it was a dream that was no longer practical.
"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," Chahal said in an Instagram post.
"I played my last First-Class match at Lord's, 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."
In the succeeding paragraph, Chahal went on to add that he was far from done, and still harbours hopes of making a comeback to India's white-ball teams.
"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."
Chahal last played a game for India in 2023, on August 13 against West Indies in a T20I. His last ODI appearance came earlier that year, against New Zealand on January 24.