Dinesh Karthik announces retirement from representative cricket

"Having given it plenty of thought for some time now, I have decided to move on from playing representative cricket. I officially announce my retirement and put my playing days behind me as I square up for the new challenges that lie ahead," the cricketer stated, taking to X.

He extended his deepest gratitude to his fans, saying, "My deepest gratitude and sincere thanks to all the fans who have made this feeling possible."

"I'd like to thank all my coaches, captains, selectors, teammates, and members of the support staff who have made this long journey pleasant. Among the millions that play the sport in our country, I consider myself among the lucky few to have had the chance to represent the nation, and luckier still to have earned the goodwill of so many fans and friends," the player said.

He last played in the recently concluded Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

His last appearance in the tournament was the Eliminator stage clash where Rajasthan Royals beat his RCB to end their run in the cash-rich tournament.

In his national career,  Dinesh, who was known for playing flamboyant shots and made his international debut even before MS Dhoni, appeared in180 games across three formats in which he scored 3463 runs with a lone Test hundred and 17 half-centuries.