New Delhi: Veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who was part of India’s two World Cup-winning campaigns, on Friday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket after a career spanning more than two decades to undertake a “new journey” that he did not specify. The 36-year-old made the announcement via an Instagram post.”After more than two decades on the field, the time has come to bid adieu to the beautiful game,” Chawla wrote.”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 said.Chawla was a member of India’s T20 and ODI World Cup-winning squads in 2007 and 2011 respectively. He represented India in three Tests, 25 ODIs, and seven T20Is, taking 43 wickets across the three formats of the 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,” Chawla said in the post.He thanked his coaches, teams and IPL franchises for playing a part in shaping his career, and described his time in the popular T20 league as “a special chapter in my career.””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. I owe my deepest gratitude to my coaches – Shri K.K. Gautam and Late Shri Pankaj Saraswat-for nurturing and shaping me into the cricketer I became,” he said.”Today is a deeply emotional day for me as I officially announce my retirement from all forms of international and domestic cricket,” he added.The leg-spinner was a part of KKR’s 2014 IPL-winning team and hit the winning runs for the Gautam Gambhir-led side in the summit clash against the Punjab Kings in Bengaluru.”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,” he stated.Chawla made his competitive cricket debut at 15, and also represented India Under-19 and Uttar Pradesh Under-22 sides.He burst onto the scene when he bowled Sachin Tendulkar with a googly in the Challenger Series 2005-06, and made his his first-class debut at 17.Chawla has over 1000 wickets across formats in domestic cricket.
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