On Saturday, Dinesh Karthik formally declared his retirement from cricket in all its forms. He played for as many as six IPL teams after making his India debut at the age of 19 in an ODI against England at Lord’s in September 2004.
His final IPL game was on May 22, 2024, when his team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, fell short against Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator. His teammates presented him with a guard of honour following the game.
“The love, support, and kindness I’ve gotten over the past four days has overwhelmed me. Sincere appreciation and my sincerest gratitude go out to all the fans who have helped make this feeling possible. Having given it plenty of thought for sometime now, I have decided to move on from playing representative cricket. The former Indian and Royal Challengers player wrote on X, “I formally announce my retirement and put my playing days behind me as I square up for the new challenges that lie ahead.”
“I want to express my gratitude to all of my teammates, coaches, captains, selectors, and support staff members who have contributed to the joy and happiness of this arduous trip. I considered myself among the fortunate few, out of the millions of people that play this sport in our country, to have been given the opportunity to represent the country, and even more fortunate to have gained the respect and friendship of so many supporters and friends.