"Unless You Are Shahid Afridi...": Dinesh Karthik Takes Sly Dig At Ex-Pakistan Captain

Veteran Indian cricket team wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik hinted at a possible retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the end of the ongoing 2024 season. Karthik is currently playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) but his contract will get over at the conclusion of this season as the competition will have a mega auction next. In a recent interaction, Karthik spoke at length about his possible future and even took a sly dig at former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi for his multiple retirements and comebacks.

"You know I have had this conversation with both of you at different points in time during my last stint in the UK on how you decide when to retire; is there something called a niceswon? It is coming to an end. It has come to an end. I did bat well in a couple of games. I felt good, which was very surprising. It is not easy mixing, broadcasting, and playing. I played the DY Patil Tournament and felt abysmal in it."

Karthik also revealed the two big regrets of his IPL career - not being retained by Mumbai Indians in the 2014 season and the fact that he has never played for Chennai Super Kings despite being a local boy.

"Unless you are Shahid Afridi (on retirement), but in most cases, once it's done, it's done. How I look at it is, once you finish, do I regret anything or am I missing anything? I have a couple of regrets. One missed the opportunity to be retained by the Mumbai Indians. I think I missed the opportunity; they were keen on me not playing for the Super Kings because I am from Chennai. They have always bid for me but could never get me. I wish I could turn the clock back and change things," Karthik said on the SKY Sports Cricket Podcast with Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton.

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