Dinesh Karthik set to finish IPL profession after 2024 season
India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik is ready to play his closing IPL season this yr when he seems for Royal Challengers Bangalore over the following two months. ESPNcricinfo has realized that Karthik, who turns 39 in June, may also make a closing resolution quickly on his worldwide future.
Karthik, who began his IPL profession at Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) is a part of a choose group of seven gamers to have featured in each season of the IPL because the BCCI launched the match in 2008, together with MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Wriddhiman Saha and Manish Pandey. Maybe extra impressively, Karthik has missed simply two matches in 16 seasons.
Karthik endured a poor 2023 IPL with the bat, scoring simply 140 runs total with a mean of simply over 11. It was a complete distinction to the stellar season he loved in 2022, the yr Royal Challengers purchased Karthik on the public sale for INR 5.5 crore (US$ 662,000 approx.). Primarily enjoying the function of the finisher, for which he educated diligently on his power-hitting pre-season, Karthik scored 330 runs in 16 matches at a mean of 55 and an explosive strike-rate of 183.33. Karthik was one of many key causes Royal Challengers reached the play-offs that season, earlier than bowing out within the second qualifier.
The scorching IPL kind earned Karthik a berth within the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. Nonetheless, he managed simply 14 runs in three innings as India misplaced to eventual champions England within the semi-finals.
The present stint with Royal Challengers is Karthik’s second, having performed a single season with them earlier than in 2015. Total, Karthik has represented six IPL groups: beginning with Daredevils (2008-14), Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings – 2011), Mumbai Indians (2012-13), Gujarat Lions (2016-17), Knight Riders (2018-21) and Royal Challengers (2015, 2022-present). Total in 240 matches, Karthik has scored 4516 runs at a mean of almost 26, hanging at over 132 with 20 half centuries. As a keeper, Karthik is second on listing behind Dhoni in total dismissals (133) in addition to stumpings (36).
A longtime captain at Tamil Nadu, Karthik has additionally led within the IPL – on six events as an stand-in skipper at Daredevils, and 37 matches between 2018-20 at Knight Riders earlier than he stepped down. Total, his captaincy document reads: 21 wins, 21 losses and one tied match.
Whilst he will get able to say farewell to cricket as a participant, Karthik has already settled into what’s deemed to be a second profession. In 2021, whereas he continued enjoying, Karthik concurrently obtained his ft moist in broadcasting, working as a pundit for the inaugural World Check Championship closing between India and New Zealand after which on the Hundred. Karthik is now effectively established as a broadcaster, presently doing commentary within the India-England Check sequence.
Royal Challengers will play the match opener in opposition to defending champions Chennai Tremendous Kings on March 23 at his dwelling floor in Chepauk.
