The two-time World Cup winner played three Tests, 25 ODIs and seven T20Is for India, and picked 192 wickets in the IPL
Two-time World Cup winner Piyush Chawla, the veteran Indian leg-spinner, has announced his retirement from all forms of professional cricket at the age of 36. His career spanned over two decades, culminating in his last appearance for India at the 2012 T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.
Chawla’s final competitive outing was in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2024-25, a tournament he played with the hope of featuring in IPL 2025. However, he went unsold at the mega auction in November.
A prominent figure in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Chawla played 192 matches across four franchises: Punjab Kings (PBKS), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Mumbai Indians (MI). He claimed 192 wickets, placing him as the fourth-highest wicket-taker in IPL history. A memorable moment in his IPL career came in the 2014 season when he hit the winning runs to secure KKR’s second IPL title. His last IPL appearance was for MI in 2024.
Chawla first gained attention as a 16-year-old, notably bowling Sachin Tendulkar with a googly in the 2005 Challenger Trophy. He made his Test debut against England in Mohali in 2006, shortly after being part of India’s Under-19 World Cup squad alongside future stars like Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ravindra Jadeja.
The peak of his international career came between 2007 and 2011, during which he was a member of India’s victorious 2007 T20 World Cup squad and the 2011 ODI World Cup winning squad. He also contributed to India’s tri-series win in Australia in 2008.
Domestically, Chawla represented Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, amassing 446 first-class wickets in 137 matches. In an emotional Instagram post announcing his retirement, Chawla expressed gratitude to his coaches, including KK Gautam and the late Pankaj Saraswat.
“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,” Chawla wrote. “Though I step away from the crease, cricket will always live with me, I now look forward to embarking on a new journey, carrying the lessons and spirit of this beautiful game.”
