Dinesh Karthik's Cricket Journey Ends After Indian Premier League 2024 Season?

Dinesh Karthik is playing for RCB in the 17th edition of IPL and is all set to end his remarkable cricket journey by the end of the tournament. Since the inception of the Indian Premier League T20 in 2008, he has never missed a single season. Playing 242 matches, Karthik was absent in only two matches, accumulating 4516 runs at an average of 25.81 and a strike rate of 132.71. Throughout the league's career, he achieved 20 half-centuries, took 141 catches and executed 36 stumpings.

"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.

In his 16 years in IPL, he played for six teams, starting off with Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) in 2008 before moving to Kings XI Punjab in 2011. He spent the following two seasons with Mumbai Indians before going back to Delhi in 2014 for a price tag of a whopping Rs 12.5 crore.

Karthik made his way to RCB in 2022 when he was snapped in INR 5.5 crore. But it wasn't a new stint for the wicketkeeper who already had played for the Challengers in 2015. Gujarat Lions had him in 2016. And then the Tamil Nadu man was best explored in Kolkata Knight Riders playing for four years.

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It was under his leadership that KKR made their way to the eliminator rounds in 2018 and had another stellar season in 2019 finishing fifth on the points table. The following years were average, but who could stop a star from shining? In 2022, after joining RCB, Dinesh Karthik's 330 runs in 16 matches at an average of 55 and an explosive strike rate of 183.33 played a crucial role as the team made it to the playoffs.

The former KKR star is among the seven Indian cricketers who have played all the seasons of India's domestic T20 league joining the club with MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Wriddhiman Saha and Manish Pandey.

He has played 26 Tests after making his debut in International cricket in 2004 against Australia, scoring 1025 runs and effecting 57 catches and 6 stumpings. He played his last Test in 2018. In the ODIs, he scored 1752 runs in 94 matches between 2004 and 2019 and managed 64 catches and 7 stumpings.

Karthik's last match for India was the T20I against Bangladesh in 2022 after making his debut in the shortest format in 2006. He scored 686 runs from 60 T20Is and effected 30 catches and 8 stumpings.

It would not be surprising if Dinesh Karthik announced his retirement from international cricket after appearing in IPL 2024 for two months during the summer. He is already doing an excellent job as a commentator in the India Vs England test series. And, he might continue with his service to the sport in that capacity beyond 2024.

(With PTI input)