Veteran Indian cricket team wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik has hinted that he may retire from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the 2024 season. Karthik currently plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) but his contract is set to expire at the end of the season as the tournament will be followed by a mega auction. In a recent interaction, Karthik spoke at length about his possible future and even took a sly dig at former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s multiple retirements and comebacks.

“You know, I had this conversation with both of you at different points during my last time in the UK about how you decide when to retire; is there such a thing as a ‘turnaround’? It’s coming to an end. It’s It’s over. “I’ve played well in a few games. I feel great, which is surprising. Mixing, broadcasting and playing is not easy. I participated in the DY Patil tournament and felt terrible. “

Karthik also revealed the two biggest regrets of his IPL career – not being retained by Mumbai Indians for the 2014 season and never playing for the Chennai Super Kings despite being a local boy.

“Unless you are Shahid Afridi (who is retiring), but in most cases, once it’s done, it’s done. My view is, once you’re done, what do I regret or what do I miss? I have some regrets. One missed opportunity to be retained by Mumbai Indians. I guess I missed the opportunity; they were keen on me not playing for Super Kings as I am from Chennai. They kept making offers for me but could never Get me. I wish I could turn back the clock and change everything,” Karthik told Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton’s Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.

Karthik, who captained KKR from 2018-20, admitted to having some “difficult conversations” with spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who played just nine games in the 2019 season. He took 4 wickets and therefore had to sit on the bench.

The wicketkeeper-batsman revealed that spinners are not as good as they are now and he has to be “honest” with Kuldeep. He expressed pleasure at Spinner’s progress since then, saying he had become a better bowler and a “world beater”. He expressed the hope that Kuldeep, who has been part of the Delhi Capitals team since 2022, would understand the message Dinesh was trying to convey to him at that time and that there was no personal grudge between them.

“Leading a franchise is a completely different job. There are many other cultures and you find it challenging to deal with other people. You can be very honest with them. As a leader, you lose certain friendships,” he said.

“During my tenure as KKR captain, Kuldeep (Yadav) wasn’t as good as he is now. Had tough conversations with him and I didn’t think he would appreciate me at that stage. I had to be strong with him.”

“It was a tough period for Kuldeep. I think those tough periods made him a better bowler today. It was my bad luck that I had to be at that bad phase of his life part of it. I want him to understand what I do. I don’t want him to appreciate it and accept it. You have to take a decision for the team, nothing personal,” Karthik concluded.

(with PTI input)