Virat Kohli Lauds Dinesh Karthik In Heartfelt RCB Tribute Video Marking His Retirement

Dinesh Karthik on Wednesday announced his quiet departure from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after a remarkable run. In his final season, Karthik amassed 326 runs from 15 games, maintaining an average of 36.22, with two half-centuries and a top score of 83.

X

His last match in the T20 league was RCB's defeat against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Eliminator. Following the team's elimination, RCB players honoured Karthik with a guard of honour, marking the end of his illustrious IPL career.

In an RCB tribute video posted on Friday, Virat Kohli reminisced about his first impression of Dinesh Karthik.

"I met him for the first time during the Champions Trophy in 2009. He was a hyperactive and confused person, who was all over the place. That was my first impression of DK. He is a brilliant cricketer, who has knowledge of the sport and I like talking to him. When I was going through my toughest phase, he spoke to me and gave me a different perspective. He has a nice family and beautiful children and I wish him all the best," Kohli said.

DK, We love you! ?

Not often do you find a cricketer who¡¯s loved by everyone around him. DK is one, because he was smart, humble, honest, and gentle! Celebrating @DineshKarthik's career with stories from his best friends and family! ?#PlayBold #????RCB #WeLoveYouDK pic.twitter.com/fW3bLGMQER

¡ª Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 24, 2024

Abhishek Nayyar, currently with Kolkata Knight Riders, praised the veteran batter and shared insights into their conversations during Karthik's challenging times. Karthik's wife, Dipika, a professional squash player, echoed similar sentiments.

"The 32-year-old Dipika said that had he been in Karthik's place, she would have succumbed to the pressure. I think when things are meant to be, they happen. When we met in 2013, it was very fast we knew that we wanted to spend our lives with each other and I am guessing everything clicked," Dipika said in the video on RCB's social media.

She continued, "One of the things I have really learned from him is that if he doesn't do well, he is dropped from the team, it's just two or three days when he is in a lull, and then he is back on his feet, thinking about what to do next. I feel that if anyone else was in that position, a lot of people would have given up long back. Even me, I am an athlete, seeing him in different positions in his career, if I was him, I would definitely have given up. But I think the do-or-die or never-give-up attitude has always been there."

She also urged Karthik to spend more time with her and their children now that he is retiring from the game.

Karthik's contributions to the RCB setup over the past couple of seasons have been significant, and his time with the Indian national team, though not as regular, spanned 20 years. During his career, he played 26 Tests, 94 ODIs, and 60 T20Is for India.

Also Read: Swiggy Gifts 1 Month Of Free Food To Dedicated Virat Kohli Fan Who Travelled 1568 KM For IPL 2024 Eliminator

After the IPL Eliminator match, the crowd went berserk and started chanting Dinesh¡¯s name, and every team member came forward to hug Dinesh. Former Indian captain and RCB player, Virat Kohli couldn¡¯t hold back his tears as he embraced an emotional Dinesh. The ¡®DK DK¡¯ chants continued as the cricketer slowly walked towards the dressing room. The RCB players allowed him to lead the field.

X

Also Read: 'Qualified For Bengaluru Airport': Twitter At Its Witty Best As Rajasthan Royals Oust RCB From IPL 2024

Though Karthik didn¡¯t speak about his retirement directly, IPL¡¯s broadcaster confirmed the news with a social media post. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), IPL¡¯s digital broadcaster, Jio Cinema paid tribute to Karthik with a ¡®Just Retired¡¯ post.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.