India’s legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal has ended his stint with Northamptonshire and will not feature further in the ongoing County Championship in the UK, as he returns home for personal reasons. Before his departure, Chahal picked up 12 wickets in three Division Two matches this season.
This marked his second consecutive year with Northamptonshire, having signed a multi-format contract. In the previous season, he played four County Championship games and claimed 21 wickets at an average of 21.1, which included two five-wicket hauls.
His most recent red-ball outing came against Derbyshire, where he produced figures of 8/197, highlighted by a career-best 6/118 in the first innings. Apart from red-ball cricket, the 35-year-old also represented Northamptonshire in six One-Day Cup fixtures this season. He managed six wickets in his first three games but went wicketless in the following three.
“Yuzi Chahal won’t be involved in our remaining three @CountyChamp games after returning home due to personal reasons. We’d like to thank Yuzi for all of his efforts and contributions this season,” Northamptonshire wrote on a brief statement on social media.
Yuzi Chahal won't be involved in our remaining three @CountyChamp games after returning home due to personal reasons.
We'd like to thank Yuzi for all of his efforts and contributions this season. 🫶 pic.twitter.com/UQZD6AxkwO
— Northamptonshire Steelbacks (@NorthantsCCC) September 5, 2025
Northamptonshire Endure Tough 2025 Season in County and One-Day Formats
Northamptonshire sit second from the bottom in Division Two of the 2025 County Championship, with only two victories in 11 matches so far. Their one-day campaign was even tougher, finishing last in Group B with just a single win in eight outings.
On the brighter side, they advanced to the semifinals of the T20 Blast and are set to play Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, and Leicestershire next. Recently, Yuzvendra Chahal admitted he wanted a break from cricket, citing the mental strain caused by personal issues.
“After my divorce, I was called a cheater. I have never cheated in my life and am extremely loyal – probably more than most. For my loved ones, I’ve always thought from the heart,” Chahal said during a podcast.
“I had suicidal thoughts. I was tired of my life. And I would cry for two hours a day, sleep just two hours. This went on for over 40 days. I had anxiety attacks, depression. Only those close to me knew what I was going through,” he added.
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