Year-Ender: Dinesh Karthik ends his stint as a professional cricketer
The year 2024 will be remembered for Dinesh Karthik's last dance on the field. The seasoned wicketkeeper-batter announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on his 39th birthday, in June. This ended a career that started in the 2002-03 season. Karthik's last appearance for India was in the T20 World Cup 2022. Overall, he last played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.
Karthik's impressive career across all formats (internationals)
Across his career, Karthik played for India in all three formats of the game. He played 26 Test matches, scoring 1,025 runs at an average of 25. His Test career featured one century and seven half-centuries. In ODIs, he played 94 matches and scored 1,752 runs at an average of 30.20 with nine half-centuries to his name. Karthik also featured in 60 T20Is and amassed 686 runs at an average of 26.38, including one half-century.
Karthik's First-Class, List A and T20 cricket records
Karthik last played First-Class cricket in 2020. From 167 matches, he scored 9,620 runs at 40.93 (50s: 43, 100s: 28). He accounted for 387 catches and 45 stumpings. Karthik last played List A cricket in December 2023. He played 260 matches and scored 7,603 runs at 40.01 (50s: 41, 100s: 12). In 401 T20s, he clobbered 7,407 runs at 27.13 (50s: 34).-.
Karthik's IPL career and captaincy record
In the IPL, Karthik played for six teams and also captained Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and Kolkata Knight Riders. His captaincy record reads 21 wins, 21 losses, and one tied match. Karthik played for KKR, MI, Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat Lions, and RCB in IPL, scoring 4,842 runs at 26.31. He smashed 22 half-centuries. The veteran played 257 matches in his IPL career, the joint second-most by a player with Rohit Sharma.
Karthik's wicketkeeping record in IPL
As a wicketkeeper in the IPL, Karthik has effected 174 dismissals, only behind MS Dhoni (190). His record includes 137 catches and 37 stumpings. He is one of only three keepers with over 100 dismissals in the IPL (the other being Wriddhiman Saha).
Do you know?
Karthik played 10 matches for India at the ICC T20 World Cup, scoring 71 runs at just 8.87. The dashing finisher represented his nation in two ODI World Cup matches, scoring a paltry 14 runs at 7.
Other notable feats of Karthik in IPL
Karthik is one of only two players to have returned unbeaten in an IPL innings 50+ times (among batters with over 4,000 runs). Karthik and Dhoni are the only two players to have scored over 4,000 IPL runs as designated wicket-keepers. Karthik has the third-most runs in death overs in the IPL - 1,565 runs at an incredible strike rate of 186.97.
