Dinesh Karthik officially retires from all form of cricket; posts emotional statement

Dinesh Karthik on Saturday finally brought the curtains down on his cricketing career as he announced his retirement from all forms of the game. Interestingly, June 1 also happens to be his birth date.

India wicketkeeper-batter took to social media to announce his decision via an emotional post. DK wrote, "Having given plenty of thought for sometime now, I officially announce my retirement and put my playing days behind me as I square up for the new challenges that lie ahead."

It's official 💖

Thanks
DK 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/NGVnxAJMQ3

— DK (@DineshKarthik) June 1, 2024

Karthik had already made it clear before IPL 2024 that the recently concluded season of the cash-rich league would be his last. His final appearance was RCB's Eliminator against the Rajasthan Royals. DK had then said that he would decide on international retirement soon and the 39-year-old finally took the call.

The Tamil Nadu man has a reasonable stint at international career too, considering his career clashed with that of MS Dhoni as a wicketkeeper-batsman.

He has played 26 Tests after making his debut 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.

One of the most experienced wicketkeeper-batters in the IPL, Karthik has represented six teams in the league.

He started 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.

Royal Challengers signed him in 2015 for Rs 10.5 crore and he then played for Gujarat Lions in 2016 and 2017 before spending four seasons with the Kolkata Knight Riders.

He led the Kolkata side to the IPL playoffs in 2018 and they finished fifth in the points table in 2019.

Ahead of the IPL 2022, Karthik was released by KKR and was bought by RCB for the second time for Rs 5.5 crore. He had a stellar 2022 for RCB while mainly playing the role of a finisher.

Karthik made 330 runs in 16 matches at an average of 55 and an explosive strike rate of 183.33 that year, a guiding force in RCB's march to the playoffs.

That run earned Karthik a berth in the India squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 held in Australia but he could not shine as expected as Virat Kohli's side bowed out of semifinals after a defeat against eventual champions England.

But by then, Karthik had also made a name for himself as a commentator with his sprightly, technique-laden approach.

DK was in stellar form in IPL 2024 and smashed 326 runs in 15 matches at an average of 36.22. What stood out was his strike rate of over 187, which was instrumental in RCB reaching the playoffs.