Seasoned cricketer Dinesh Karthik has officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on his birthday on June 1, Saturday. With this he drew curtain on his 20-year-long illustrious cricketing career. Karthik, who featured for India in 26 Tests, 94 ODIs and 60 T20Is from 2004 to 2022, last played during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 on May 22 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Karthik recieved a guard of honour from his teammates in the side’s final game that made his retirement announcement imminent.
On his 39th birthday, Karthik took to Instagram to announce his retirement from cricket, bringing the curtain down on a illustrious career.
Dinesh Karthik retires from all forms of cricket
“l've been overwhelmed by the affection, support and love I have received in the last few days. My deepest gratitude and sincere thanks to all the fans who have made this feeling possible. Having given it plenty of thought for sometime 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,” Dinesh Karthik's social media note read.
“I'd like to thank all my coaches, captains, selectors, teammates and members of the support staff who have made this long journey pleasant and enjoyable. Among the millions that play the sport in our country, I consider myself among the lucky few to have had the chance to represent the nation, and luckier still to have earned the goodwill of so many fans and friends,” he added.
"My parents have been pillars of strength and support over all these years, and I wouldn't be what I am without their blessings. I also owe plenty to Dipika, herself a professional sportsperson who often put her career on hold to walk my journey with me. Of course, to all the fans and followers of our great game, a massive thank you! Cricket and cricketers, wouldn't be the same without your support and good wishes," star wicketkeeper batter concluded.
This marks the end of an era for Karthik, a true IPL stalwart. Since the league's inception, he has amassed an impressive record, playing a joint second-highest 257 matches alongside Rohit Sharma. Only MS Dhoni, with 264 appearances, surpasses them both. While Karthik may be hanging up his boots, his legacy in the IPL will undoubtedly live on. Beyond the IPL, Karthik's cricket journey spanned across various teams and formats. Throughout his career, the wicketkeeper-batsman donned the jerseys of Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in addition to Royal Challengers Bangalore. His international career also reached its peak, with his last appearance for India being against Zimbabwe in the 2022 T20 World Cup held in Australia. Interestingly, his journey began at the young age of 19 when he made his ODI debut against England at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground. He scored 1025 runs in Tests, 1752 runs in ODIs and 686 in T20Is in this 20-year-long career.
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