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.

Ambati Rayudu interview: On IPL 2024, his stint at CSK and dabbling in politics

A lot can change in a year; Ambati Rayudu knows that.

Last May, he was jumping with joy at the Chennai Super Kings’ dugout in Ahmedabad, having contributed to one of IPL’s most memorable finals that the men in yellow won off the last ball. Late into the night, MS Dhoni would receive the trophy and hand it over to a beaming Rayudu in his last IPL match as a cricket player.

This May, Rayudu — now a commentator with Star Sports and talking about the game with as much passion as he once played it — was desolate, as he saw his former team get knocked out of TATA IPL 2024 on a rainy Saturday evening in Bangalore. In a video that is now going viral among cricket fans, Rayudu sits, his face buried in his hands, in disbelief.

Rayudu was showing his emotions, like he has always done. “Yes, I am an emotional being,” he tells me over a virtual conversation, a day before the CSK-RCB match, “I’ve always wanted things to be fair, and always fought for what I believe is right.”

Currently, the six-time IPL champion is busy with a hectic commentary stint. It is not something he would have fancied when he was a player, but Rayudu is enjoying it nevertheless. “I didn’t know if I would be good at it, because I hardly spoke during my playing days. But, with friends and family, I used to love discussing cricket. I pride myself as being a good student of the game and trying to understand its various intricacies. Broadcasting and commentating are new to me and I’m slowly trying to understand how things work, though many a time, I speak from the heart. I’m just happy I am still connected to the sport.”

Batting for CSK

IPL 2024 might have ended on a sour note for CSK, but Dhoni and Jadeja — the two men who were at the crease during the last moments of the recent Bangalore game — have been Chennai’s favourite IPL stars for many years now. Recalling the moments leading up to the famous CSK win of 2023, Rayudu says, “Remember Dhoni lifting Jadeja after he won us the game? We all know what CSK means to Dhoni, but it proved what it meant to Jadeja, who has been the team’s go-to man, be it batting, bowling or fielding.”

Rayudu was a star with Mumbai Indians in the earlier editions of IPL but has been vocal about his support for Chennai Super Kings, with which he had a successful stint. So, what is the amazing team environment that everyone raves about? “CSK is family. They let you be. At CSK, you are treated just the way you are treated at home; I’m not saying there is no pressure to win, but it’s the way you are treated at home, with parents or siblings. Every player feels like he belongs. The management and the support staff never speaks negatively and never puts you down. Even players who are not playing are constantly looked after; when that happens, you want to give your best. Say, if a player’s capacity is to score a 50 off 20 balls, due to this environment, you would like to do it in 18. This is why many players, who might not have played so well for other franchises, bloom here.” What also helps is the loyalty factor among players; someone like an MS Dhoni has been with the team since its inception. “Even after his retirement, I’m sure he will be associated with the team in a major capacity.”

Rayudu has been associated with Indian cricket for a long time — playing for India was the most memorable moment of his career — but he feels that the IPL, conceptualised in 2008, has brought the game closer to fans. “They understand T-20 cricket better, and they identify more with the players. The league is also a game-changer in terms of identifying talent. Previously, even if you were a talented player, you could get lost in the system if you are not identified by a certain set of selectors. But the IPL has been a great platform and throws the spotlight on players; a cricketer like Ashutosh Sharma (Punjab Kings) might not have been identified if he played only for the Railways. That’s the beauty of the IPL.”

The cricketer also dabbled in politics for a while, and this election season, he actively supported popular actor and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan. He hopes to play an active role in public life in the future. “I believe sport can be a unifying factor in bringing people together,” says Rayudu, who also runs a foundation in Guntur that helps people from disadvantaged sections of society,“I believe equal opportunities should be available; I have suffered in the past due to a lot of factors. I hope that a player, even without any godfather, should be able to play the sport just based on his or her talent. I’m looking forward to playing an important role in developing Andhra Pradesh as a better place to live in.”

Watch TATA IPL playoffs and final this week on the Star Sports Network

RCB wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik runs out Rachin Ravindra of CSK during IPL 2024 match between the two teams at at M. Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: K Bhagya Prakash

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s remarkable turnaround to win six games on the trot and barge into the Indian Premier League playoffs this year will inspire other teams in future, believes wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik.

RCB, who lost seven of their first eight games including six defeats in a row, came back roaring from the brink of elimination in the 17th edition of IPL to make the final four.

The Faf du Plessis-led side on Friday got the better of defending champions Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs to seal the fourth spot in the points table.

“People will always remember certain journeys. The way we have come back after eight games, we needed to win six, people will remember this team,” Karthik was quoted as saying in a RCB release.

“Every year in this tournament, when you hit the seven-game mark, there will be one or two teams which would have probably won one or two and they will look to us and say, ‘RCB did it. That was special. We are going to try and repeat what RCB did’.”

“That is what we all play cricket for, sport for, where people follow us and believe us that they can do something special. It is hard. It is not going to be easy, I can tell any team that. What we have achieved today is very, very special,” Karthik said.

RCB will now face the team which finishes third, one among Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, in the Eliminator to be played at Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

“We have it within our grasp to do something that people will remember us for many decades. It will be a journey where people will say, ‘wow, that RCB team was special’. We are on that journey,” Karthik said.

Karthik said RCB’s confidence was the differentiating factor between them and CSK, a team which has a better bilateral record.

“Coming into this game, there was a sense of quiet confidence about us, playing the defending champions, and the way we played we should be really proud,” Karthik said.

The senior wicketkeeper pointed out RCB’s fielding and aggressive batting, despite rain intervention, as the factors which worked for them.

“We can proudly say we are the best fielding team in this tournament without a doubt,” he said.

“Even though it turned, we had a rain break, we had to go, start again, just the way Virat (Kohli) and Faf played the next three overs made it feel like 140-150 could be a decent total.

“Most teams would have thought about that and we would have thought about that for a second as well,” he said.

Cameron Green lauded star batter Virat Kohli for playing a “vintage” innings to keep RCB in the race. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Cameron Green lauded star batter Virat Kohli for playing a “vintage” innings to keep Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the race to the IPL playoffs.

Kohli made full use of the three reprieves, including one on zero, to make a 47-ball 92 that set the tone for their 60-run win over Punjab Kings in a must-win match here on May 9.

“He played the vintage Virat that we all know. It was a beautiful watch from the other end. That’s the beauty of having Virat in your team, as opposition you can’t give him that many chances,” said Green in the post-match press meet.

The Australian all-rounder, who helped himself to a 27-ball 46, said Kohli was trying to be aggressive and the drops did not affect him.

“He’s always going to make you hurt, especially if you drop him three or four times. Early in his innings, he was trying to be really aggressive. I think he looked like after a couple of dropped catches, he didn’t have much to lose,” added Green.

The Bengaluru side still need to win their remaining two matches against Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings at home to remain in the mix for playoffs.

Green said the team has done well to win four matches on the bounce after a string of defeats.

“Yeah, I think what we’ve done really well is just look at the next game. I think obviously at the start of the tournament you can always look further at what’s coming up, where are we on the table.”

“But I think that’s the beauty of where we were at (now), we kind of were pushed into a corner and all we could really do was focus on the next game,” he added

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings assistant coach Brad Haddin blamed the dropped catches for his side’s defeat.

The Kings let-off Kohli and Green more than once and they bruised them with quickfire knocks as RCB posted a tall 241 for seven.

In reply, PBKS could only manage 181 before getting bundled out.

“100 percent we lost the match because of dropped catches. If we look through the game, we dropped two guys on a duck, and both of them scored big runs. That was where the game was lost.

“There was not too much difference in the batting and bowling of both teams. The catches we put down cost us the game,” said Haddin.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli reacts during an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, at HPCA Stadium, in Dharamshala on May 9, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar conjured up superlative fifties before the bowlers joined the party as Royal Challengers Bengaluru kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a huge 60-run win over Punjab Kings in the IPL on May 9.

Kohli’s 47-ball 92 was the cornerstone of RCB’s innings as he starred in two partnerships — 72 off 32 balls with Patidar (55 off 23 balls) and 92 off 46 balls with Cameron Green (46 off 27 balls) to propel the team to 241/7.

In reply, Rilee Rossouw put up a show with a 27-ball 61-run knock but Karn Sharma’s twin strike triggered a collapse as PBKS were all out for 181 in 17 overs.

This was a fourth successive win for RCB and it took them to 10 points, while PBKS (8) were knocked out of the playoff race as they can reach a maximum of 12 points from the remaining two games.

Swapnil Singh (2/28), Karn (2/36) and Lockie Ferguson (2/29) took two each, while Mohammed Siraj (3/43) claimed three wickets for RCB.

Chasing a stiff target, PBKS lost Prabhsimran Singh (6) early but Rossouw looked unstoppable as left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh was carted for two fours before Siraj was belted for three fours and a six.

Yash Dayal and Ferguson were then hit for 16 and 14 runs by Jonny Bairstow (27) and Rossouw as PBKS scored 75 runs in six overs.

Once Bairstow was removed by Ferguson, Rossouw turned his attention on Green, blasting two fours and a six on way to his fifty off 21 balls.

Jitesh Sharma was then cleaned up by Karn, while Swapnil got rid of Liam Livingstone (0) as Punjab slipped to 126 for 5 in 12th over.

They couldn’t recover from those blows and it was all over when Shashank Singh (37), Sam Curran (22) and Ashutosh Sharma (8) returned to the dugout.

Earlier, Kohli, who was dropped on 0 and 10, timed the ball nicely, used his feet and wrists to bring up his sixth IPL fifty this season. He reached his mark in 32 balls, before slamming another 40 in his next 15 balls. He cracked seven fours and six maximums.

Patidar, who was also given two lives, provided the early momentum as he slammed six maximums and three fours during his 23-ball 55.

After Patidar’s dismissal, Kohli and Green continued the onslaught to take RCB past the 200-mark. Green hit five fours and a six before being caught in the final ball as RCB scored 77 in last five overs.

Pacer Vidhwath Kaverappa (2/36) picked up two wickets in the powerplay on his IPL debut but his figures could have been much better had the fielders not dropped three catches off his bowling.

Kohli was dropped in the third ball but Kaverappa dismissed Faf du Plessis (9) and removed Will Jacks (12) but PBKS couldn’t create pressure as Sam Curran (1/50) and Harshal Patel (3/38) leaked runs.

Patel, who had dropped Patidar, conceded three boundaries in his first over as RCB scored 56 in the powerplay.

It started raining sixes thereafter as Kohli and Patidar slammed a maximum each to spoil Kaverappa’s bowling figures.

Patidar then creamed spinner Rahul Chahar for three mighty maximums before depositing Arshdeep and Sam Curran for two more sixes, the last one bringing up his fifty in 21 balls.

With Patidar on fire, RCB crossed 100 in the ninth over. Curran, however, got rid of Patidar in the 10th over, when rain halted play for a brief while.

After resumption, Kohli completed his fifty and hit Livingstone for two fours.

Green brought up the 150 with a four off Patel. Kohli then went berserk as he slog swept Livingstone for a six, while Curran was deposited over mid-wicket for a 94-metre maximum. He sent one over long-on for another maximum.

Dinesh Karthik (18) played a cameo before Patel claimed three wickets in last over.

Aware that they cannot afford any more slip-ups, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will have their task cut out when they face dominant hosts Kolkata Knight Riders in a tricky Indian Premier League match in Kolkata on April 21.

RCB’s pursuit of a maiden IPL title has once again hit a roadblock following six losses in seven matches.

With five consecutive defeats, the bottom-ranked RCB now confront the daunting task of winning their remaining seven games to keep their playoff prospects alive.

For a side that has been severely let down by their bowlers and relies heavily on the batting prowess of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and veteran Dinesh Karthik, facing KKR presents a significant challenge.

“From a bowling perspective, we don’t have as many weapons. So, unfortunately, it comes down to the batters to make sure that we use our form and our confidence. The scores that we put on the board are probably going to be the only way we are going to get into the competition,” their skipper Du Plessis has admitted earlier.

The fact that they are coming after conceding the IPL’s record total of 287/3 by Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last match will undoubtedly linger in the minds of their bowlers.

It would not be a bad idea to bring back their most expensive (Rs 11.5-crore) buy this season, Alzarri Joseph, to go alongside Mohammed Siraj, who was not picked against SRH.

Joseph has bagged a solitary wicket in three appearances for RCB while also getting hammered at 11.89 runs per over.

Glenn Maxwell’s spin also could have been a nice option, but the struggling Australian all-rounder, who pulled out of the game against SRH citing “mental fatigue”, is also battling a hip strain that may keep him out of action for some more time.

Their batting has centred around the two openers — Kohli and Du Plessis — and Karthik, while the rest of the players have failed miserably.

Kohli is once again leading the run chart with 361 runs at 72.20, though his middle over strike rate of 135 has been a cause of concern.

The star Indian batter more often than not was seen to have slowed down against the spinners in the crucial 7-15th over phase after getting a start in the power play.

Du Plessis has been their next best batter with 232 runs, but it’s seasoned wicketkeeper-batter Karthik, who has been phenomenal in his final IPL season.

The veteran has amassed 226 runs at a strike-rate of 205-plus and in the monstrous chase against SRH, it was his 35-ball 83 that gave them hope of scripting an improbable win before they fell short by 25 runs.

The trio will again have to play a key role against the likes of Sunil Narine, Mitchell Starc and Harshit Rana.

The home side will also be coming on the back of a defeat to Rajasthan Royals in a last-ball finish.

So KKR, who have played one match less then RCB, will also eye a return to winning ways and inch closer to playoffs by taking their tally to 10 points at the midway stage.

The biggest threat for RCB will be Narine, not just with the ball but also with the bat at the top of the order.

Narine, who scored his maiden T20 century in their last match against RR, is KKR’s leading run-getter this season with 276 runs at an incredible strike rate of over 187.

The next best KKR batter is his opening partner Phil Salt, who has struck at a rate of 151-plus.

The pair’s splendid form means that the likes of Rinku Singh, Andre Russell have got limited opportunities.

With a maiden fifty to his name, youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi has impressed with his batting.

RCB will have to target the KKR top-three to expose their batting and give themselves some chance.

With the city in the grip of an extreme heat wave, the temperature is expected to soar to 41-degree Centigrade come Sunday.

Teams (from):

Kolkata Knight Riders: Shreyas Iyer (c), KS Bharat, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sherfane Rutherford, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Nitish Rana, Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya, Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma, Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Sakib Hussain and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Faf du Plessis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh and Saurav Chauhan.

Match starts at 3.30pm.

A bird quenching the thirst as Ambadevanahalli lake dried up in Ambadevanahalli at Tumakuru District in Karnataka. Image used for representative purpose only.
| Photo Credit: K . BHAGYA PTAKASH

Professional franchise cricket team Royal Challengers Bengaluru has restored three lakes in Bengaluru, a city grappling with a severe water crisis.

RCB launched the Lake Improvement Works Project in October 2023 as part of the “RCB Go Green Initiative”. The project focused on desilting and developing the Ittgalpura and Sadenahalli lakes, located in highly water-stressed areas.

These areas lack access to Kaveri River water and rely entirely on groundwater and surface water with borewell depths ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 feet.

According to a statement, more than 1,20,000 tons of silt and sand have been removed from the two lakes and nine acres of lake land have been recovered, leading to the creation of stabilisation ponds and wetlands that benefit the local bird and animal populations.

The water holding capacity of the lakes has also increased to cover up to 17 acres, it said, adding that the lakes will not only facilitate groundwater recharge but also support agricultural activities in the surrounding areas.

They will provide additional livelihood opportunities for the fishermen and farmers of the two lakes, who can now harvest up to three times more than before, it said.

Meanwhile, at Kannur Lake, the objective has been to improve community ownership through the creation of civic amenities as lake assets.

Ethno-medicinal plant parks, bamboo parks, and butterfly parks are also being created at all three lakes as part of the initiative to improve and sustain biodiversity.

“These lakes not only serve as critical groundwater sources for neighbouring villages but also form the backbone of local livelihoods,” said Rajesh Menon, VP and Head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Experts say Bengaluru is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and its infrastructure for fresh water supply is struggling to keep up with the growing population.

Over a third of the city’s 13 million residents rely on groundwater, which is rapidly depleting.

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Smriti Mandhana
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

Smriti Mandhana’s self-belief wavered in pressure situations last year but this season she was able to conquer the demons in her mind when pushed against the wall, helping RCB land their first major title in franchise cricket.

Speaking to media after RCB beat Delhi Capitals in a low-scoring WPL final, Mandhana said she has matured as a captain and player since last season.

“One thing that I have learned is to believe in yourself. That was something which lacked in me last year when it did go wrong.

“I doubted a few things in myself but that was the real conversation with my mind, I need to keep trusting myself and I think that was the biggest learning for me,” said Mandhana on Sunday night.

The second season saw Mandhana getting her hands on the trophy while Harmanpreet Kaur had led Mumbai Indians to the title in the inaugural edition. That only shows the depth of Indian cricket, said Mandhana.

“Last year when MI and DC were playing in the final, somewhere deep down I hoped that Harman lifts it because the first edition of WPL and for an Indian captain to win, if not me it has to be Harman. So I was really happy for Harman and whole Mi team,” Mandhana said.

“Second season I became the second Indian captain to win. That really shows the kind of depth Indian cricket has and it’s just the start, we still have a long way to go.”

Kohli congratulates Mandhana and Co

Former RCB skipper Virat Kohli, who is back in India for the IPL, was quick to congratulate Mandhana and the team following the eight-wicket triumph.

“I didn’t hear anything what he (Kohli) was saying because it was too loud. He was just like thumbs up and I responded with thumbs up. He looked really, really happy, there was a bright smile,” she said referring to the video call with Kohli.

“I remember him coming last year, and talk which really helped me personally and also the whole team. He has been with the franchise almost for the last 15 years, so I could see the happiness on his face,” Mandhana said.

DC were going great guns after opting to bat, reaching 64 for no loss in seven overs before RCB spinners — Shreyanka Patil (4/12) and Sophie Molineux (3/20) pulled things back in middle overs to bowl their opponents out for 113.

Mandhana said staying calm in that pressure situation paid rich dividends.

“In the match today, 6 overs 60 runs, a few things didn’t go our way, a field settings which didn’t go our way but the only thing which stayed constant was the belief I have. I was not really panicked about it, I was calm today. I could have clear conversation with the bowlers.

“Sense of calmness since the eliminator. Today also we told each other not to worry and stick to our plans and not to complicate much. We didn’t want to be 20/3 or 4 while chasing 110 odd runs,” she said.

‘Shreyanka most complete cricketer I have seen in last two years’

Mandhana particularly reserved high praise for young Shreyanka Patil, who took four wickets in the final.

“Shreyanka has just been brilliant. The first 3-4 matches didn’t go her way. She came off a really tough zonal tournament. During a match there I remember having a chat with her when I said don’t worry 17th March you are going to do something special, little did I know that will happen and she will get the purple cap.

“I think she is the most complete player to come to international cricket in the last two years. She feels she belongs to international cricket,” she said.

Meanwhile, DC head coach Jonathan Batty felt they didn’t do justice with the bat, but still fought valiantly to take the match to the last over.

“We fought magnificently, bowled and fielded magnificently. The game to lose with only 3 balls to go was absolutely amazing.

“We didn’t do ourselves great justice with the bat that left us with a few runs short. We should have scored more after that fantastic start,” he said.

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Dinesh Karthik in action during the Tata IPL T20 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 9, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

India wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik is all set to make his last IPL appearance in the 2024 edition beginning on March 22, and he will decide on his international retirement after the lucrative T20 league.

The 38-year-old, who is currently contracted with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, has played in all the 16 editions of the IPL since 2008 and has only missed two matches across 16 seasons.

“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.

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

Early years

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 ₹10.5 crore and he then played for Gujarat Lions in 2016 and 2017 before spending four seasons with the Kolkata Knight Riders.

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

RCB’s finisher

Ahead of the IPL 2022, Karthik was released by KKR and was bought by RCB for the second time for ₹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 play-offs.

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.

International career

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

He has played 26 Tests after making 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.

Karthik has played in 242 IPL matches since the inaugural edition, scoring 4516 runs at an average of 25.81 and strike rate of 132.71, with 20 half-centuries. He has affected 141 catches and 36 stumpings.

However, he recently featured in the DY Patil T20 Cup in Navi Mumbai.