Dinesh Karthik is gearing up to bid farewell to the Indian Premier League (IPL) following the upcoming 2024 season.
Dinesh Karthik, the seasoned Indian wicketkeeper-batsman and RCB finisher batter, is gearing up to bid farewell to his IPL journey after representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the upcoming season. According to reports from PTI, the 17th edition of the IPL is slated to kick off on March 22, featuring an opening clash between the defending champions Chennai Super Kings and RCB in Chennai. This season is expected to mark the conclusion of Karthik’s IPL career. Additionally, the 38-year-old is likely to make an announcement about retiring from international cricket soon.
“This 2024 edition will be his (Dinesh Karthik’s) last IPL. He will decide his international retirement after the IPL,” a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Karthik made his return to the T20 World Cup for India in Australia in 2022, marking his presence after being a key player for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the last two seasons. He was acquired for 5.5 crore at the auctions that year.
Having played for six different franchises over the years, including Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Knight Riders, and Royal Challengers, Karthik is one of the most experienced players in the IPL. With 242 appearances, he holds the third position in the list of most-capped players, trailing behind MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
Karthik’s standout IPL season was with Mumbai Indians in 2013, where he played a pivotal role in their title victory. Scoring 510 runs as the main wicket-keeper batsman, he played a crucial role in finishing games from the lower order.
After leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the 2021 final, where they were runners-up to Chennai Super Kings, Karthik stepped down from captaincy. In 2022, he joined RCB and had a successful season, accumulating 330 runs.
Remarkably, Karthik is one of only seven cricketers who have featured in every edition of the IPL since its inception in 2008, alongside Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Wriddhiman Saha, and Manish Pandey.
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