Dinesh Karthik retires from all forms of competitive cricket on his 39th birthday

CHENNAI: Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik on Saturday announced his retirement from all forms of competitive cricket after two decades of playing for the country.

While his retirement was on the cards after Royal Challengers Bengaluru's ouster from the IPL Eliminator, Karthik chose his 39th birthday to make his decision official.

"Having given plenty of thought for sometime now, I have decided to move on from playing competitive cricket. I officially announce my retirement and put my playing days behind me as I square up for the new challenges that lie ahead," Karthik wrote on 'X'.

Having represented the country in 180 games across three formats in which he scored 3463 runs with a lone Test hundred and 17 half-centuries, Karthik also had 172 dismissals to his credit, most of them behind the stumps with a few in the outfield.

He first walked into public imagination with his airborne stumping of Michael Vaughan in England under Sourav Ganguly in 2004 and last played for India in 2022 T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma.

In between, he had played under Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli.

"I'd like to thank all my coaches, captains, selectors and members of the support staff, who have made this long journey pleasant and enjoyable," he wrote.

Karthik's finest hour in Tests was during the 2007 tour of England where he opened with Wasim Jaffer and scored 263 runs in three matches, as he made three half-centuries.

Earlier that year, he had scored his maiden Test hundred in Bangladesh, which also incidentally became his only century in international cricket.

However, he never had consistent scores and his crowning glory in international cricket was a last ball six off Soumya Sarkar to win Nidahas Trophy final against Bangladesh.

"Among millions who play the sport in our country, I consider myself among the lucky few to have represented the nation and luckier to have earned the goodwill of fans and friends," he said.

Having lived in Kuwait during early school days because his father Krishnakumar worked there, Karthik, during his early days in international career, would be accompanied by his mother Padhmini, who was a regular at all his matches.

In fact during a tour of Australia, which happened to be Karthik's last international assignment, his father would be present even at net sessions to watch his son play and at times record it on his smart phone.

"My parents have been pillars of strength and support all these years, and I would be what I am without their blessings," he said.

He also thanked his wife Dipika Pallikal, a champion squash player in her own right with multiple Commonwealth Games and Asian Games medals.

"I also owe a lot to Dipika, herself a professional sportsperson, who often put her career on hold to walk my journey with me," Karthik wrote.

His career got a second wind in the last six to seven years when he was always having a good IPL season here and there, especially whenever there would be an ICC tournament round the corner.

In fact, he revelled as a finisher for RCB this season which prompted Rohit Sharma, standing in the slips for Mumbai Indians, to indulge in some harmless but funny sledging, egging him to take on the bowlers.

Along with his prowess in the IPL and incisive captaincy for Tamil Nadu in recent white ball domestic tournaments, Karthik has been a regular cricket analyst for one of the British broadcasting giants, gaining praise from respected former England skippers like Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain.

"Cricket and cricketers won't be same without your support and good wishes," he concluded.