India’s Dinesh Karthik, right, and Krunal Pandya. File
| Photo Credit: AP

RCB’s Krunal Pandya and Tim David walk back after winning, during the IPL 2026 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT).
| Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K

Dinesh Karthik, during a practice session in Bengaluru. File photo
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

Former wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik was on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, signed by Paarl Royals for the third season of the SA20, making him the first Indian cricketer to participate in the South African league, starting on January 9.

Karthik, 39, retired from all forms of cricket in June this year and since then he has been roped in as a mentor-cum-batting coach by IPL side Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

“I have so many fond memories of playing in and visiting South Africa, and when this opportunity came about, I couldn’t say no because of how special it would be to come back to playing competitive cricket and win this incredible competition with the Royals,” said Karthik, who has played 180 matches for India across all three formats.

His last competitive T20 outing was for RCB in the IPL 2024, for whom he made 326 runs in 14 matches at a strike-rate of 187.36.

Karthik’s last match in India colours was against Bangladesh during the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022.

“I am delighted to be joining the Paarl Royals team which oozes a lot of experience, quality and potential. I am certainly looking forward to joining the group and contributing to what should be an exciting season,” Karthik, who was roped in as the league ambassador a day earlier, said.

Royals’ Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara hoped to tap in the extensive T20 experience of Karthik.

“Dinesh has served as one of the modern-day greats for India in white-ball cricket, and his wealth of experience will contribute to the making of our side.

“He has always proved to be a great asset for the teams he’s represented across leagues for the way he approaches the game and the impact he can make,” said Sangakkara.

At the Royals, Karthik will join other international stars like skipper David Miller, Joe Root, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo and Kwena Maphaka.

Wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik will be the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s batting coach and mentor. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, on Monday, announced the recently retired Dinesh Karthik as its batting coach and mentor.

As a player, the former India wicketkeeper-batter had two different stints with RCB, with the most recent being from 2022 to 2024. During this period, RCB reached the IPL Playoffs twice, in 2022 and 2024, and the 39-year-old played an instrumental role both times.

In 2022, he excelled in his role as a finisher, accumulating 330 runs in 16 innings at a strike-rate of 183.33, a performance that earned him a place in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia. In 2024, he scored 326 runs in 13 visits to the crease, at a phenomenal rate of 187.35.

An astute mind, Karthik has already made a mark as a fine commentator and broadcaster, and he will now be part of a coaching team that comprises head coach Andy Flower, bowling coach Adam Griffith and director of cricket Mo Bobat.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on May 24 announced some of the biggest names in cricket and broadcasting, including former India coach Ravi Shastri and the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, as part of a robust commentary panel for next month’s T20 World Cup.

The T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies from June 2 till 29.

Dinesh Karthik, who retired from all forms of cricket after his team Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL campaign, has also been named in the commentary panel list.

Leading the commentary team are stalwarts such as Shastri, Nasser Hussain, Ian Smith, Mel Jones, Harsha Bhogle and Ian Bishop.

Adding to the insights on the modern game, the team will be joined by former men’s and women’s T20 World Cup champions such as Karthik, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Samuel Badree, Carlos Brathwaite, Steve Smith, Aaron Finch and Lisa Sthalekar.

Former 50-over World Cup winners Ricky Ponting, Gavaskar, Matthew Hayden, Ramiz Raja, Eoin Morgan, Tom Moody and Wasim Akram will also be lending their expert analysis to the upcoming tournament.

Making his World Cup debut, American commentator James O’Brien — better known as Jomboy — will aim to add context to the games for the American audiences.

The other big names in the team include Dale Steyn, Graeme Smith, Michael Atherton, Waqar Younis, Simon Doull, Shaun Pollock and Katey Martin alongside renowned cricketing names in broadcasting such as Mpumelelo Mbangwa, Natalie Germanos, Danny Morrison, Alison Mitchell, Alan Wilkins, Brian Murgatroyd, Mike Haysman, Ian Ward, Athar Ali Khan, Russel Arnold, Niall O’Brien, Kass Naidoo and former West Indies skipper Daren Ganga.

ICC will provide extensive coverage of the tournament across the 28 days of action with a pre-match show, an innings interval programme and a post-match wrap-up.

Building on the success of the vertical feed at the ICC men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, ICC TV will introduce an AI-supported vertical feed for the T20 World Cup.

This innovative feature, produced in collaboration with Disney Star, Quidich Innovation Labs, and NEP, will be a first for cricket.

File picture of Royal Challengers Bangalore players Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik
| Photo Credit: Sportzpics for IPL

Premier India batter Virat Kohli has paid tribute to Dinesh Karthik after his retirement at the end of RCB’s IPL campaign, describing the veteran wicketkeeper-batter as a wise and honest person who lifted his spirits during a phase of struggle in the league’s 2022 season.

The 38-year-old, who joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru from Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022 for his second stint after 2015, played his last IPL match on Wednesday when RCB were eliminated by Rajasthan Royals in the playoffs.

“Off the field, I have had some really nice and interesting conversations with him. He is a wise man, and has great knowledge about a lot of things, not just cricket,” Kohli said in a special tribute video posted by RCB.

The little over 11-minute video features tributes from Karthik’s wife, Dipika Pallikal Karthik; his personal mentor, Abhishek Nayar; RCB assistant coach, Malolan Rangarajan; and fitness coach, Shanker Basu.

Kohli recalled the 2022 season when he averaged just 22.73 scoring 341 runs from 16 matches as they missed the final bus losing to Rajasthan Royals in the second qualifier.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with him. Even in that phase in 2022 when I did not have a great IPL season, I was really struggling for confidence,” he recalled.

“He sat me down a couple of times and just gave me a very honest explanation of how he saw things and maybe I am not able to see them myself,” Kohli added.

A veteran campaigner in the IPL, Karthik has been involved in all the editions of the league since the inaugural 2008 season and has represented six franchises, including leading KKR to the playoffs in 2018.

He ended with 4,842 runs in 257 matches with 22 fifties.

“I just like his honesty, his courage to go and speak to anyone about things that he really feels about. And that, I think, is the most special thing for me when it comes to Dinesh.

“And that’s something that I’ve always cherished about him. And that’s why we get along really, really well.”

‘A correct player’

Kohli also hailed Karthik as a technically “correct” and versatile batter.

“I always looked at Dinesh and felt like he was such a correct player technically that he could adapt to any kind of role that’s been given to him, and I remember watching him in the 2013 season where he got 600 runs or something and he batted brilliantly at three.

“I saw him play shots which were like ‘wow’. I think he’s done brilliantly to switch and become a renowned finisher.

“…I wish him all the very best for all his future endeavours moving forward.” Kohli hoped that Karthik would stay connected to the RCB franchise in some capacity.

“…because his expertise when it comes to cricket is priceless. I think he’s of great value to this franchise,” he said.

‘Hyperactive, confused person’

Recalling his first meeting with Karthik during India’s tour of South Africa in 2009, Kohli said at first, he found him to be a hyperactive and confused person moving all over the place.

“The first time I met him, I remember we were playing in South Africa if I am not wrong in the Champions Trophy 2009. It was the first time I shared the change room with Dinesh, and I found him to be very amusing, very… I would say hyperactive, confused person.

“Most of the time, he was moving all over the place, never stopping. That was my first impression of Dinesh.

“He is an outstanding talent, brilliant batter to watch and my first impression and the present-day impression are not far apart — just that he has become wiser and calmed down a lot,” Kohli added.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik hug each other after the IPL eliminator match against Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Dinesh Karthik’s international career was a classic case of what could have been after the arrival of Mahendra Singh Dhoni but on Wednesday, when he said goodbye to the game at the end of his team’s IPL campaign, it was from a stage he made his own over the past 17 years.

The Eliminator between his Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals ended up being Karthik’s swansong, bringing down curtains on a 20-year-old career marked by a series of comebacks across formats.

Twenty six Tests, 94 ODIs and 60 T20s over two decades don’t make for eye-popping numbers but the forever fidgety 38-year-old managed to stay relevant till the very end despite spending more time in the commentary box than on the field over the past couple of years.

Ahead of the T20 World Cup squad announcement, Karthik forced himself into the selection debate for the wicket-keeper batter’s role with head-turning performances for RCB but that one final comeback wasn’t meant to be as selectors rightly went for younger talent.

While he was commentating on the India-England Test series in February-March, Karthik had made up his mind on retirement but the world only got to know when Michael Atherton let it slip in a podcast with the Tamil Nadu stumper.

Having played for as many as six teams in the IPL since the tournament’s inception in 2008, Karthik can be proud of his record in the world’s premier T20 league.

He finished as an IPL winner with close to 5000 runs over 17 seasons besides taking 145 catches and effecting 37 stumpings.

He batted at various positions all these years but his days at the RCB as a finisher over the past three seasons stood out.

In a format increasingly ruled by power-hitters, Karthik relied on his experience, game awareness and touch to find the boundaries at will.

His 330 runs at a strike rate of 183 in 2022 earned him a recall to the Indian team for the T20 World Cup but that happened to be his last time in national colours.

He scored at an even higher clip this season but despite making himself available for the upcoming World Cup, he deep down knew his comeback saga with Indian cricket had come to an end.

Karthik had his moments in stop-start India career

The Chennai-born cricketer was only 19 when he made his India debut in an ODI against England at Lord’s in September 2004.

He announced his arrival on the big stage with a spectacular stumping of opposition skipper Michael Vaughan.

Three months later, he made his Test debut against Australia but his international career could never really take off due to middling performances and rise of Dhoni.

With Dhoni a certainty in the playing eleven, Karthik was asked to open the batting on the tour of England in 2007 and he made a standout contribution in the team’s rare Test series win away from home.

Between 2010 and 2017, Karthik remained sought after in the world of IPL but his stock fell sharply in the national team.

He got back in the scheme of things following India’s loss to Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy final.

Between 2017 and 2019, Karthik regularly played for India in the white-ball formats. His memorable knocks included the iconic last ball six that helped India seal the 2018 Nidahas T20 Trophy in Colombo.

Couple of months later, he made a Test comeback after eight years but that was short-lived.

Karthik was seen as a certainty for the 2019 ODI World Cup but by his own admission, he was shocked to know about his exclusion from the home series against Australia, ahead of the ICC event in England.

The selectors surprisingly brought him back for the World Cup where he only got three games, including the ill-fated semifinal against New Zealand.

The final chapter of his comeback story unfolded after a stellar IPL in 2022 but like on previous instances, Karthik could not seize the opportunity and could only manage only 14 runs in three innings at the T20 World Cup in Australia.

By his own admission, his India career could have been so much more but there was no shame in being overshadowed by someone like Dhoni.

The consistency that he lacked in international cricket was his friend in the IPL and his significant contribution was duly recognised by his RCB teammates on Wednesday night including the great Virat Kohli who was the first one to acknowledge his long career.

Karthik will be back in the commentary box soon and could be seen playing the T20 leagues outside the IPL.

File picture of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Dinesh Karthik acknowledging the crowd during an IPL game.
| Photo Credit: AP

Royal Challengers Benglauru’s star finisher Dinesh Karthik might well have had played his last game in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 38-year-old wicketkeeper-batter was given a guard of honour by his teammates after RCB’s fairytale run ended in disappointment when the side crashed out of the tournament in the second eliminator on May 22.

After Rajasthan Royals inflicted a four-wicket defeat on Bengaluru in the Eliminator at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Karthik took off his gloves and acknowledged the fans who were on their feet to applaud the veteran for his contributions throughout the season.

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Soon a moment to savour for the RCB fans unfolded, as the franchise’s marquee star and modern-day cricketing icon Virat Kohli embraced Karthik as he struggled to fight back his emotions.

While Karthik hasn’t yet officially announced his retirement from the IPL, he dropped hints during the tournament that the current season could be his last.

As he walked back towards the dressing room, Karthik received a guard of honour from the RCB players. He was a crucial figure for RCB, especially in the death overs in a turbulent season. His influential cameos at the end played a role in inspiring the team to an unprecedented spot in the playoffs.

If this season ends up as the last one for Karthik, he will finish his IPL career with 4,842 runs in 257 matches, studded with a whopping 22 fifties.

In his illustrious IPL career that spanned over 17 years, Karthik featured for six franchises. He made his debut in the inaugural season in 2008 with the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). He made a switch to Punjab in 2011 and, thereafter, went on to play for the Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders and the RCB.

He ended the 2024 season with 326 runs in 15 matches at an average of 36.22 and a strike rate of 187.36.

Dinesh Karthik, who has been in phenomenal form in this IPL, has not given up on his dream to play for India again and would do “everything he can to be in that flight” to the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies next month.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, who has been in phenomenal form in this IPL, has not given up on his dream to play for India again and would do “everything he can to be in that flight” to the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies next month.

Karthik, who will turn 39 by the time the World Cup kickstarts on June 1, was also part of the last edition of the T20I World Cup in Australia in 2022, which was also his last appearance for Team India.

Since then he has become an off-the-field cricket expert, involved in commentary stints.

Returning to IPL this season, he has taken his batting to a new level and displayed some astonishing power-hitting to strike at a rate of 205-plus.

He is also the third leading run-getter for RCB with 226 runs, behind Virat Kohli (361) and skipper Faf du Plessis (232).

“At this stage in my life, it would be the greatest feeling for me to represent India. I’m very, very keen to do so. There is nothing bigger in my life other than representing India in this T20 World Cup,” the RCB wicketkeeper-batters said ahead of clash against KKR .

With Karthik’s also emerging as a contender, the wicketkeeper slot will be a hotly-contested one for which the Team India think tank may pick two at the most.

Making a comeback from a near-fatal accident, Rishabh Pant has also showed positive intent while captaining Delhi Capitals, and Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals), Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians), KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants) are also in the fray.

Karthik said he would respect whatever the Big Three — coach Rahul Dravid, captain Rohit Sharma and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar — decide.

“I also feel there are three very, very stable, honest people who are at the helm to decide what should be the best Indian team for the World Cup — Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar.

“And I’m completely with them. I respect any decision that they take. But all I can say is I’m 100 per cent ready, and I’ll do everything I can to be on that flight to the World Cup.” ‘I’m no Russell or Pollard’ ================= Karthik further emphasised the importance of understanding his strengths as a player, focusing on precision rather than power-hitting like an Andre Russell or Kieron Pollard.

He said he analyses bowlers’ patterns to strategise his shots, visualising scenarios during practice to enhance his batting repertoire.

“These days as a player, you need to understand your strengths. I’m not a Russell or a Pollard who can just mishit a ball and get a six for it, rather,” said Karthik.

The other day Karthik smashed seven sixes and five fours in his 35-ball 83 in pursuit of a record 288 but eventually RCB fell short by just 25 runs.

“So, I need to understand how I can beat gaps, what sort of balls I can hit for boundaries. And I realised there was a certain pattern in which bowlers were bowling to me, so I needed to try and work out a solution for that.

“Hence, when I practice, I try and understand, okay, if this is what they’re going to bowl at me, how am I going to get a boundary, visualising a field that is going to be in place for me.

“So, I worked like that, and I worked backwards, and that helped me, you know, really learn a couple of shots more, at the back end. It’s been great to go out there and express myself, and it’s been thoroughly enjoyable to do what I’m doing for RCB as a finisher,” he added.

Virat Kohli produced a quality half-century on a slightly gummy pitch that took the Holi-day crowd on a joyride and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a four-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in an IPL match here on Monday.

The 177-run target wasn’t a massively tough one, but needed a meticulous scaling down because of the deck’s nature.

Kohli (77, 49b, 11×4, 2×6) conducted it to near-perfection as RCB made 178 for six with four balls to spare to register their first win of this IPL.

The Royal Challengers needed 47 from 24 balls from that point Dinesh Karthik (28 not out off 10 balls) and ‘Impact Player’ Mahipal Lomror (17 not out, 8 balls)carried them past the rope with some sensible cricket. Karthik team’s designated finisher showed that he can seamlessly switch from microphone to willow as he walloped Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh with minimum fuss to finish it in style.

Kohli’s innings was not a blemish free effort as he received reprieves on the very first ball on zero and then when he was on 33, and on both the times pacer Sam Curran was the aggrieved party.

But when Kohli bats at such a lofty zone those are momentary distractions – for him and for the fans.

He showed that in no little measure, clanking Curran for three more fours after that first drop as 16 runs cascaded in the opening over of the chase.

There were his money shots too – cover drives, swat-flicks, lofts over extra cover as Kohli dismantled the Kings attack all alone.

But a shot stood out from the rest for its sheer timing and execution. Rabada, who was otherwise superb for a 2/23 figure, pitched one slightly short, and Kohli danced down to magnificently flay the offering over the covers for a four.

The inside out maximum over covers off leg-spinner Rahul Chahar too has the touch of Kohli’s genius.

Those shorts also bore testimony of Kohli’s class on a tacky deck where other RCB batters such as Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell struggled to get a move-on against Rabada and highly-impressive spinner Harpreet Brar (2/13).

It reflected in the fact that the highest partnership in RCB innings was a 43-run association between Kohli and Rajat Patidar (18, 18b) for the third wicket.

But the lone Odyssey of Kohli ended when his slash off Harshal Patel’s slower ball on off-stump failed to generate enough power and distance to clear Brar at deep third man.

Earlier, the pragmatism of captain Shikhar Dhawan was the bedrock on which Punjab Kings built their 176 for six.

Dhawan (45, 37b), Jitesh Sharma (27, 20b) and Prabhsimran Singh (25, 17b) were the main contributors for the Kings after RCB opted to bowl first.

For the hosts, Mohammed Siraj and Maxwell took two wickets apiece.

The Kings made a shaky beginning as Jonny Bairstow got out early as his outings on these shores, which stretched back to last year’s World Cup, has now become more barren than the Indian summer.

But from 17 for one, the visitors found some runs through Dhawan and Prabhsimran who tackled the pitch and the RCB bowlers with aplomb, milking 55 runs off 38 balls.

Dhawan was not precisely smooth during his stay but showed enough pluck to cash in on the loose deliveries, such as a length ball on the off-stump from left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar which he lifted over long-on for a six.

In fact, the RCB bowlers, especially impressive left-arm seamer Yash Dayal (1/23), did well to tie him down with deliveries that darted into him from just short of good length.

Prabhsimran also occasionally vented his aggressive instincts, and the most telling piece was his flicked six off Green that sailed 90 meters over mid-wicket for a maximum.

But just as the alliance was blossoming, Prabhsimran tried to pull Maxwell but a feeble top edge was grabbed by stumper Anuj Rawat.

But the Punjab side suffered a heavier blow soon as Dhawan got out.

The left-hander’s attempt to hoist Maxwell out of the ground ended in the hands of Kohli at long-on as the Kings slipped to 98 for four in 12.1 overs.

The Kings needed some more runs on the board to give a meaningful challenge to the home side.

They found those from Jitesh, who hammered Dagar for two sixes in a row, and Curran, who added 52 runs for the fifth wicket off 34 balls.

Brief scores

Punjab Kings: 176 for 6 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 45, Prabhsimran Singh 25, Sam Curran 23, Jitesh Sharma 27; Glenn Maxwell 2/29, Md Siraj 2/26).

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 178 for 6 in 19.2 overs (Virat Kohli 77, Mahipal Lomror 17 not out, Dinesh Karthik 28 not out; Kagiso Rabada 2/23, Harpreet Brar 2/13).