Veteran wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik, who has retired from both international cricket and the Indian Premier League, became the top-scoring wicket-keeper batter in the nation’s history, surpassing MS Dhoni, with his exploits in SA20 league. However, when asked about the elite milestone, Karthik said that he never really cared for records as his only aim while playing cricket was to represent the country. Though he is happy to have beaten Dhoni to the No. 1 spot, he knows that the Thala can retake the record in the IPL 2025 season.
“I played a lot of my cricket wanting to play for India. And when I retired from the IPL and playing in India six months ago… I think that was most important – trying to play for the country and doing well. I have never been someone who has been fascinated by records, probably because I don’t have great records. I don’t know,” Karthik, who played for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL before retirement, said.
“It’s great to know that I overtook Dhoni, but it won’t be long before he overtakes me. It really wouldn’t trouble me much. I am happy for him to keep that record as the highest run-scorer as a wicketkeeper – I don’t even know what exactly it is. It’s okay, it’s nice to know, but it’s not something that I crave or really want,” he added.
Karthik also got the opportunity to run shoulders with England’s modern-day great Joe Root during his time in South Africa at Paarl Royals.
“Playing with Joe Root was one of the highlights for me in this tournament. I haven’t interacted with him much before – I’ve just said ‘hello, hi’ when I’ve seen him – but to rub shoulders with him and share the same dressing room was fantastic. What a terrific personality!” said Karthik.
“He is a legend of the game. He will easily go down as one of the greatest batters to have ever played the sport. But the attitude he brings – warm, welcoming, and always eager to help the youngsters – is remarkable. He always wants to have fun and ensures the team enjoys themselves.
“We had this push-up contest after the match – all started by him. The energy he brings and the genuineness he shows towards the sport were wonderful. It was one of the best experiences, playing with such a legend. He was very relaxed, and it was a lot of fun,” Karthik added.
Karthik has scored a total of 7537 runs in T20 cricket, giving him a 105-run lead over MS Dhoni.
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