Veteran India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik is making his last appearance in the Indian Premier Legaue (IPL) in the ongoing season.
The 38-year-old holds a unique record in the IPL, having participated in every season since its inception in 2008. He is currently playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Reflecting on his journey, Karthik revealed that his one big regret was to have asked Mumbai Indians (MI) to not retain him back in 2012-13.
Speaking in a podcast by R Ashwin called ‘Kutti Stories’ on YouTube, Karthik explained what makes MI such a special franchise.
“What MI does is provide resources in terms of practice and access to the coaches whenever you want to upskill your game. They’re always there, creating an ecosystem for you to become the best player that you can be,” Karthik stated.
He added, “You can tell MI that in between Ranji Trophy matches, I want to practice and they have a field, they have coaches, they have balls and they have bowlers. They have sidearms, they will give you everything; they’ll give you a stay, they’ll give you flight tickets. They will give you everything possible to become the best version of yourself.”
Karthik believes that such top-class facilities will motivate the player on a personal level to deliver for the franchise.
Notably, Mumbai Indians are the most successful IPL franchise along with Chennai Super Kings, having bagged the title five times.
“You are impacting the player at a very subconscious level by saying we care for you,” Karthik concluded.
Dinesh Karthik’s IPL journey includes stints with six different franchises. Starting with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), he later played for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Mumbai Indians, now-defunct Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Over the years, Karthik has missed only two IPL matches, highlighting his unwavering dedication to the league. He has played 247 matches in the IPL so far, amassing 4606 runs at a strike rate of 133.31 with 20 half-centuries.
