Piyush Chawla Announces Retirement from All Forms of Cricket

Piyush Chawla Retirement: Last Match, Achievements & Farewell Message

Piyush Chawla was born on December 24, 1988, in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. He showed his talent at a young age. When he was only 15, he grabbed attention by clean bowling Sachin Tendulkar with a googly during the Challenger Trophy, a memorable moment that made people see him as a promising spinner. 

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2024-25 was Chawla's last domestic cricket tournament. He played in it hoping to get picked for IPL 2025. However, he wasn’t bought during the big auction in November.

Veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla has announced his retirement, bringing an end to a professional cricket career that spanned more than two decades. The 36-year-old represented India in three Test matches, 25 One Day Internationals, and seven T20 Internationals during his time on the national team. In the IPL, he ranks 4th on the all-time wicket-takers list with 192 wickets, standing alongside legends like Sunil Narine and ahead of Dwayne Bravo. A key moment came in the 2014 IPL final when he struck the winning runs for Kolkata Knight Riders, securing their second title. Earlier, in the 2007–08 Ranji Trophy, he was the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, earning the prestigious Madhavrao Scindia Award.

In a post on Instagram, Piyush Chawla said, “After playing cricket for over 20 years, it's time to say goodbye to this wonderful game. From playing for India at the top level to being part of the winning teams in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, every moment of this journey has been a true blessing. These memories will always stay close to my heart. A big thank you to the IPL teams that believed in me – Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, and Mumbai Indians.”

Chawla played domestic cricket for both Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, taking 446 wickets in 137 first-class matches. In his farewell message on Instagram, he thanked his coaches KK Gautam and the late Pankaj Saraswat, along with others who supported him.