Ahmedabad: Guard Of Honour For Dinesh Karthik After RCB Crash Out In Eliminator

AHMEDABAD: With RCB's heart-breaking defeat at the hands of Rajasthan Royals yesterday in the Eliminator match held at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, it is all but over for Veteran wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik.

Although he has not officially confirmed about his retirement, the dashing batsman hinted towards it during his viral speech in the RCB dressing room following their dramatic victory against defending champions CSK in their previous match.

He has made several indications during the competition that this year will be his final with the team.

The 38-year-old was met with a huge round of applause not only from the RCB players, but also from the crowd who were cheering for Dinesh Karthik from the stands.

Removing his gloves, Karthik thanked the supporters for their unwavering love and support. A seemingly emotional Virat Kohli hugged Karthik while he was fighting back tears.

In a sweet gesture, the RCB players presented Karthik with a guard of honour as he made his way back into the dressing room for probably the last time in his illustrious cricketing career.

If he hangs up his boots, then Karthik will have finished his IPL career with 4,842 runs in 257 matches.

The fiery finisher played for six different franchises in the Indian Premier League during his remarkable 17-year career.

Karthik made his debut with the Delhi Daredevils (now the Delhi Capitals) in the inaugural season back in 2008.

He joined the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2011. Thereafter, he also played for Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders and now RCB.

He has also made some incredible records during his successful IPL career, the likes of which include retiring as the second-most capped player in IPL history, matching Rohit Sharma with 257 appearances, only trailing behind MS Dhoni.

With 174 dismissals, Karthik stands as the second-most prolific wicket-keeper in IPL history, showcasing his prowess behind the stumps.

Karthik's 4097 runs batting at No. 4 or lower in the IPL are second only to MS Dhoni's tally, solidifying his status as a middle-order stalwart.

Scoring 1565 runs during death overs, Karthik ranks third behind Dhoni and Pollard, boasting a staggering strike rate of 186.97 and 91 sixes.

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