India spinner Piyush Chawla announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday afternoon. The 36-year-old made the announcement in a lengthy statement shared on his Instagram account. The spinner was a member of India's T20 and ODI World Cup-winning squads in 2007 and 2011. Chawla represented India in three Tests, 25 ODIs, and seven T20Is, taking 43 wickets across all three formats of the game.
The leg-break spinner also played for Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. He was part of KKR's 2014 IPL winning team and famously hit the winning runs for the Gautam Gambhir-led side in the summit clash in Bengaluru.
In his official statement, Chawla wrote, "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."
"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.
{{/usCountry}}"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.
{{/usCountry}}Piyush Chawla made his competitive cricket debut at 15, and he also represented India U19 and Uttar Pradesh U22. The spinner burst onto the scene when he bowled Sachin Tendulkar with a googly in the Challenger Series 2005-06. He then made his first-class debut at 17.
Sharing the statement on Instagram, Piyush Chawla wrote, “Closing this chapter with Gratitude !! Retiring from all formats of the game, thank you, everyone, for your support throughout this beautiful journey.”
In the comments section, former India cricketer Parthiv Patel congratulated Piyush Chawla on a marvellous career, saying, “Congratulations on a wonderful career.. see you on the other side bro.”
All you need to know about Piyush Chawla's career
The spinner made his Ranji Trophy debut in the 2005-06 season and in his maiden appearance in the tournament, he returned with 35 wickets and scored 224 runs to help Uttar Pradesh win their first-ever Ranji Trophy title in the 2005-06 season.
Piyush Chawla then made his Test debut in March 2006 against England in Mohali. He then returned with three wickets on his ODI debut in Bangladesh in 2007.
In 2007, Piyush Chawla got under the skin of Kevin Pietersen during the England tour as he troubled him with the googlies and the straighter ones.
However, the spinner was not able to cement a place his side for himself in the white-ball team. He was dropped for years but he eventually made a surprise comeback to the side when he was named in the T20 World Cup squad in 2010. He then also made it to the 2011 World Cup squad.
Chawla last played for India in December 2012 when he played against England in a T20I match in Mumbai.
The 36-year-old played 137 first-class matches, taking 446 wickets. He also played 164 List-A games and 297 T20s, taking 573 wickets across the two formats.