Yuzvendra Chahal gets guard of honour in last appearance for Northamptonshire

Yuzvendra Chahal has brought his association with Northamptonshire to a close, sharing a farewell message for the county cricket club at the end of the 2026 County Championship season. The leg-spinner had joined the county for three consecutive summers, making him one of the more consistent overseas presences in their recent history.

Chahal wrote a heartfelt note for the team ahead of his last match for the side with which he has been associated since his first appearance in 2024. The teammates were seen giving him a guard of honour.

"Three years, countless memories, and a team that will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you, Northamptonshire, for having me, for the incredible cricket we played, and for the genuine love and support throughout these years. You made me feel at home, even when I was miles away from it. Proud to have been a part of this team. @NorthantsCCC ❤️" Chahal captioned the post.

Chahal's three seasons at Northamptonshire

Chahal first arrived at Northamptonshire in August 2024 as an overseas player, marking his debut for the county with a 5/14 against Kent in the One-Day Cup. Before that, he had spent time with Kent in 2023, taking nine wickets across two matches. Northamptonshire re-signed him for the 2025 season, with his availability beginning on June 22 against Middlesex in the County Championship and One-Day Cup.

The county confirmed a third re-signing on October 1, 2025, with Chahal joining for the second half of the 2026 season to feature in the County Championship and One-Day Cup. Heading into that final summer, he had already accumulated 44 first-class wickets and 7 List A wickets for the club across his 2024 and 2025 stints, including 31 wickets at The County Ground specifically.

His 2026 campaign produced further returns. Chahal took 4/46 in Worcestershire's second innings at New Road, helping Northamptonshire to a six-wicket win while chasing 94. He finished with 14 wickets across his last two County Championship matches of the season. At the time of that Worcestershire fixture, Northamptonshire were leading Kent in Division Two with two rounds remaining.

Away from county cricket, Chahal has taken 217 wickets for India across ODI and T20I formats. He has not played for India since 2023. In April 2024, he became the first bowler in IPL history to reach 200 IPL wickets, and in the 2023 IPL he became the first Indian to take 300 wickets in T20 cricket, reaching the landmark in Rajasthan Royals' opening match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The Haryana-born was part of India's 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad but did not feature in any match. His IPL clubs have included Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings.