Star India and RCB batter Virat Kohli has applauded his Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate Dinesh Karthik for helping him out in his tough times during the 2022 season of the Indian Premier League. However, Kartik’s retirement was officially confirmed by the RCB in a post on Friday afternoon as well.
However, RCB posted two clips on Friday. In the first one RCB staff and players, alongside Kartik’s wife Dipika Pallikal Karthik, can be seen sharing anecdotes from his career. In the second clip, where fans are praising him, the franchise officially confirmed that Kartik’s IPL stint was over as well.
“Off the field, I have had some really nice and interesting conversations with Karthik. He is wise man, has great knowledge about a lot of things, not just cricket. I have thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with him. Even in that phase in 2022 when I did not have a great IPL season, I was really struggling for confidence, Karthik sat me down a couple of times and gave me a very honest explanation of how he is seeing things and maybe I am not able to see them myself,” Virat Kohli recalled.
ALSO READ: Kirti Azad welcomes BCCI’s new directive in central contract
Back in that season, Virat Kohli had three ducks and scored only 341 runs from 16 matches with two half-centuries and a strike rate of 115.98 only as well. “So, I just like his honesty and courage to go and speak to anyone about things that he feels dearly about. And that I think is the most special thing for me when it comes to Karthik and that’s one thing I have always cherished about him. That’s why we get along really really well,” Kohli further added.
‘DK is the backbone of RCB!’
‘We need more of DK.’
‘DK is the real boss.’
Fans express their sentiments and emotions for DK as the curtain falls on his IPL career. ❤🩹🥺#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #WeLoveYouDK pic.twitter.com/UFufEJZSSS
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 24, 2024
However, Dinesh Karthik ended IPL 2024 with 326 runs from 15 games which came at an average of 36.22 with 2 half-centuries and a top score of 83 as well. Notably, Kohli recalled his first impressions of Karthik when they first played together for India way back in the 2009 Champions Trophy on South African soil.
“The first time I met DK, I remember we were playing in South Africa if I am not wrong in the Champions Trophy 2009. It was the first time I shared the change-room with Dinesh and I found him to be very amusing, I would say hyper-active, confused person, most of the times he was moving all over the place, never stopping. That was my first impression of Dinesh,” Kohli said. “Outstanding talent, brilliant batter to watch and my first impression and present day impression are not far apart. Just that he has become wiser and calmed down a lot.”
