"Your dedication to cricket has inspired many" - Fans react as Dinesh Karthik retires from cricket on his 39th birthday 

Veteran wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik formally announced his decision to retire from cricket on Saturday, June 1. He posted a heartfelt message on social media, along with a compilation video on what marked his 39th birthday.

Karthik had indicated that the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) was going to be his last, and had even led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) back to the pavilion after their Eliminator defeat at the hands of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) recently.

“I’ve been overwhelmed by the affection, support and love I have received in the last few days. My deepest gratitude and sincere thanks to all the fans who have made this feeling possible. Having given it plenty of thought for sometime 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,” Karthik posted on his social media accounts

With a budding broadcasting career already, something which he cultivated through his off-season days in the final phase of his career, Karthik will not be far away from the sport at all.

Fans stepped up on social media to wish the veteran a happy retirement. Here are some of the reactions on Twitter:

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"He didn't choose to cry like a baby for chances," one user remarked

"Thank you for the memories DK!," one tweet read

"DK, see you on the other side of the game," another fan tweeted

Dinesh Karthik ends his career with 26 Tests, 94 ODIs, 60 T20Is, and 401 T20 appearances to his name

The wicket-keeper's decorative career began during the ODI series when Team India toured England in 2004, following which he quickly made his red-ball debut as well.

Karthik had his ups and downs, but was always a reliable candidate with both bat and gloves. He played a variety of roles in his career, mostly as a middle-order batter. However, he had a memorable spell at the top of the order, forging a solid chemistry with Wasim Jaffer when India won a historic Test series in 2007.

The final leg of his career saw him become a finisher, and complete a remarkable comeback into the national setup one last time. His spell also benefitted RCB, as he finished the innings on a high, more often than not.

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