This IPL was Dinesh Karthik's last dance; his ability to rise from rock bottom is what defined his inspiring journey
BENGALURU: Much before the
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
team set out on its victory lap at the M Chinnaswamy stadium following its win over Chennai Super Kings, IPL veteran Dinesh Karthik took a break from the team's celebrations to acknowledge the fans. This was just after his last dance at the venue, the 22 yards on which he rediscovered his form in the last couple of years to stage an unlikely comeback into the Indian squad for the 2022
T20 World Cup
.
Karthik's international career in many ways remained unfulfilled, especially since his time in Indian colours overlapped with another wicketkeeper bat,
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
, although Karthik was picked a few months before the former Indian skipper.
That said, Karthik has given people plenty of reasons to celebrate his career, an inspiring tale of dedication, determination and the ability to rise from the dead.
That's what went into the making of the joint second-most capped IPL player (257 matches) after Dhoni (264) and on par with
Rohit Sharma
. Also, Karthik has missed just two games in 17 seasons. Arguably the most experienced man behind the stumps after Dhoni, Karthik over the years has been able to adapt and thrive in the roles assigned to him.
His best came in 2013. Batting at No. 4 for Mumbai Indians, he scored 510 runs. As skipper, he led the Kolkata Knight Riders to the playoffs in 2018 and since returning to Bengaluru in 2022, assumed the role of a finisher. It was a job which allowed him to reinvent himself with unorthodox and sometimes audacious shots, which are an integral part of T20. Be it the 360-degree shot, the ingenious scoop or the humongous six, Karthik added them to his repertoire seamlessly.
A team man who has always walked the talk, be it for Tamil Nadu - whom he represented for over two decades - national or franchise squads, Karthik led by example with his work ethic and fitness routines. What also endeared him to people was his childlike enthusiasm and willingness to lend a shoulder or ear to a teammate going through a rough phase.
Highlighting this trait, Virat Kohli revealed in a video posted on RCB's social media channel, "In that phase in 2022 when I did not have a great IPL season, I was really struggling for confidence. He sat me down a couple of times and gave me an honest explanation of how he is seeing things and maybe I am not able to see them myself. I like his honesty and courage to go and speak to anyone about things that he really feels about."
A week shy of his 39th birthday, Karthik has sustained himself on sheer dedication to fitness and hard work. Be it offseason training, diet or the hard yards he has put in at the nets or the gym, compromise was never a part of his regimen. Self-belief has been a key part of his career.
Only he could have envisaged and expressed - as a commentator - that, at 36, he was in with a chance for a national team comeback. Less than a year later, he was on the flight to Australia for the T20 World Cup. Just when he was being written off, he always pulled out a few tricks from his overflowing bag to make a comeback and fan his burning desire for the game.
Reflecting on his life ahead,
Karthik
's wife Dipika Pallikal, the Indian squash star, was quoted as saying, "He is very content with what he has done and achieved. It is not going to be easy moving away from the game, this is all he has done all his life. He is the kind of person who is ready to move on if he is content."
After RCB crashed out in the Eliminator this week, there were tight hugs and warm wishes all around for Karthik. An astute reader of the game, Karthik has already established himself as a commentator, and may well return in a backroom role in the future.
English (US) ·