Veteran Team India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has shared that he is perfectly fit to play professional cricket for another three years as well. However, he feels he wouldn’t be able to cope with the mental side now. With Karthik unlikely to play for India again, he also retired from his IPL career recently. He also played his final IPL match this year against the Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator at the Narendra Modi Stadium as well.

Dinesh Karthik had a good season in IPL 2024

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Karthik said: “I think I am physically very much prepared to play for another three years. Especially with the Impact Player rule, it becomes that much easier. Touch wood, I have never missed a game because of an injury through my three decades. I’ve been blessed that way. I was never worried about my body or my fitness. It was all about the mental side of things, whether I’ll be able to push as much in the lead-up to the tournament, whether if I don’t play as many matches, will I be okay with it.”

When he was asked what kept him motivated after a poor IPL season last year, Karthik said that he has always been “extremely motivated.” He hasn’t missed a single season of IPL since its inception in 2008. With 257 matches, he is the joint (along with Rohit Sharma) second-most capped player in IPL history after MS Dhoni as well.

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“I am internally very, very motivated” – Dinesh Karthik

“I am internally very, very motivated. Intrinsically, extremely motivated and I’ve lived by the mantra that if you are the best, no one can stop you. I just believed if I get one chance, I should make the most of it. I never cribbed. I was always thinking like I got a chance but I missed it. I got a tournament here, but I probably could have done better in this match. And that kept me going,” he said.

Dinesh Karthik further shared that family functions have kept him busy amid the feeling of retirement and he also recalled how nervous he was before the IPL 2024 against CSK.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. There’s lots happening in the house, there’s a couple of weddings and all so I’ve been pretty busy with that. It’s a tad bit emotional, a tad bit relief. In a way, I was mentally prepared for whenever it had to happen. But I was so much more prepared for 18th May. Once that part of the tournament was crossed, I was extremely elated and very, very happy and grateful. The 22nd came around pretty fast, but overall it was a mixed feeling of relief, emotion and the fact that it has all come to an end,” Dinesh Karthik concluded.