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Veteran India cricketer Piyush Chawla has announced his retirement from all the formats. He revealed about this decision through a post on his official Instagram account. The leg-spinner, who was a decent batter as well, made his international debut for India in 2006 during a Test match against England. He represented the country in all the three formats.
Chawla was a part of the India squad that triumphed in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. He represented India in a total of three Tests, 25 ODIs and seven T20Is, picking up 7, 32 and 4 wickets in the formats respectively.
Chawla last played an international match in 2012
His final match for the national team came in the year 2012 where he featured for India in a T20I against England that was held at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. Following this match, he never made it back to India's squad in any format.
However, exclusion from the Indian team didn't stop him from playing in the IPL and first-class cricket. Chawla was a key player in the Kolkata Knight Riders side that lifted the IPL title back in 2014. The leg-spinner featured for a total of four different IPL franchises in his career and last played in the league in the 2024 season where he was with the Mumbai Indians.
"After more than two decades on the field, the time has come to bid adieu to the beautiful game. From representing India at the highest level to being part of the victorious 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup squads, every moment in this incredible journey has been nothing short of a blessing. These memories will forever remain etched in my heart. A heartfelt thank you to the IPL franchises who placed their trust in me - Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, and Mumbai Indians," Chawla wrote in a social media post.
"The Indian Premier League has been a truly special chapter in my career, and I have cherished every moment playing in it. A special mention to my late father, whose belief in me lit the path I walked. Without him, this journey would never have been possible. Today is a deeply emotional day for me as I officially announce my retirement from all forms of international and domestic cricket. Though I step away from the crease, cricket will always live within me. I now look forward to embarking on a new journey, carrying with me the spirit and lessons of this beautiful game," he added.
Chawla was very active in the domestic circuit as well, featuring for his state side of Uttar Pradesh until last year. His last competitive match was a T20 against Himachal Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in November. Notably, he was the hero of the clash and was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his exceptional bowling figures of 4/12 in four overs.
His first-ever competitive game came back in the year 2005 when he played for India B in a clash against the India seniors. In his 20-year long playing career and seven-year long international career, Chawla achieved many accolades and awards for his great performances on the field.
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