Just a week after retiring from the Indian Premier League (IPL), Dinesh Karthik, the Indian cricketer, has decided to end his entire career. He made this announcement on social media last Saturday, stating, “I am moving on from my playing days.”
His last professional match was the IPL 2024 eliminator against Rajasthan Royals, which his team lost. After the match, Karthik, the wicket-keeper batsman, removed his gloves and thanked the fans as RCB players showed appreciation to the spectators around the stadium.
Dinesh Karthik Retirement
Dinesh Karthik confirmed his retirement from cricket last Saturday. The experienced wicketkeeper-batsman bid farewell after his IPL team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, lost to the Rajasthan Royals. Karthik made it official after 10 days of contemplation.
“Having given it plenty of thought for some time now, I have decided to move on from playing representative cricket. I officially announce my retirement and put my playing days behind me as I square up for the new challenges that lie ahead,” Karthik shared on social media.
It's official 💖
Thanks
DK 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/NGVnxAJMQ3
— DK (@DineshKarthik) June 1, 2024
Also Read: R Praggnanandhaa Classical Win Over Magnus Carlsen at Norway Chess
Dinesh Karthik Cricket Career
In the recent RCB vs RR IPL Eliminator match, a cricketer from Tamil Nadu played his final game in a career spanning twenty years. He took a moment to thank everyone who supported him along the way, including his coaches, teammates, and support staff. He felt incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to represent his country, especially considering the millions of people who play cricket in India.
Throughout his career, he played in 180 matches across different formats of the game. In these matches, he scored a total of 3463 runs. Among these runs, he achieved one century in Test cricket and also managed to score 17 half-centuries.
Additionally, he contributed significantly as a wicketkeeper, with a total of 172 dismissals to his name. Most of these dismissals were made behind the stumps, although he also managed a few in the outfield.
Dinesh Karthik became widely known after his impressive catch of Michael Vaughan in 2004, and his last international game was in the 2022 T20 World Cup. During his career, he played for different captains including Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli.
During the India-England Test series, Karthik had decided to retire, which was revealed by Michael Atherton during a podcast.
Karthik had a successful IPL career, scoring 4,842 runs in 257 matches, placing him joint second with Rohit Sharma for the most runs. He hit 22 fifties during this time.
Spanning over 17 years, Karthik played for six different IPL teams starting from Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2008. He also played for Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders, and RCB.
In the latest season, he scored 326 runs in 15 matches with an average of 36.22 and a strike rate of 187.36.
Also Read: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Wins IPL 2024
Dinesh Karthik Retirement FAQs
Q.1. When did Dinesh Karthik announce his retirement?
Ans. Dinesh Karthik announced his retirement on social media last Saturday, shortly after his IPL team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, lost to the Rajasthan Royals.
Q.2. What was Dinesh Karthik’s last professional match?
Ans. Karthik’s last professional match was the IPL 2024 eliminator against Rajasthan Royals, which his team lost.
Q.3. How long did Dinesh Karthik’s cricket career span?
Ans. Dinesh Karthik’s cricket career spanned twenty years, during which he played in 180 matches across different formats.
Q.4. How many runs did Dinesh Karthik score in his career?
Ans. In his career, Karthik scored a total of 3463 runs, including one century in Test cricket and 17 half-centuries.
Q.5. Which IPL teams did Dinesh Karthik play for?
Ans. Dinesh Karthik played for six different IPL teams throughout his career: Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Royal Challengers Bangalore.