Having been a veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, has said that he can still go on for other three years thanks to his physical body’s condition but not the mental part of the game. This is as stated by the 38-year old who until lately announced his retirement from Indian Premier League IPL, thoughts shared with cricbuzz.com.
For instance, in an interview with Cricbuzz following his last IPL match against Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator at Narendra Modi Stadium this year Karthik stressed that he had never worried about his fitness.
“I am thinking I can play another three years physically. It’s this much easier to do when you get the Impact Player rule. For my full three decades of cricketing life, touch wood; I have never missed a single game due to injury and I am so lucky. When it came to my health or human anatomy, I did not make any effort,” he expressed himself.
However, Karthik accepted more challenges associated with mental aspects of cricket. He added on saying “I was only concerned about whether mentally I could push as hard leading into the tournament or if — if one doesn’t play enough games will they be okay?”
Karthik then disclosed where he found his motivation after a difficult season in the IPL last year.
“I am internally very very motivated like intrinsically extremely motivated and lived for being best no one can prevent you that’s what I followed if u are d best u‘ll stop at nothing. So just my view was if you have got one chance then use it. No cribbing never ever thought ki maine chance mil gayi hai par chali gayi thi. I always felt i got a chance but i missed it so there’s a tournament here which i could have done better today. And that kept me going,” said Karthik.
Since its establishment in 2008, Karthik has been an ever-present figure in the IPL, playing 257 matches, making him the second-highest capped player in IPL history alongside Rohit Sharma, only behind MS Dhoni (264).
In his early stages of retirement, Karthik discussed family events that have kept him busy and emotions he had prior to his final game.
Karthik says it has not sunk in fully. There’s lots happening in the house, there’s a couple of marriages and all so I’ve been quite busy with that. It is a little emotional; a little relief. I was mentally ready for whenever it had to be done. But I was so much more prepared for 18th May.”
“Once that part of the tournament was cross, I was extremely elate and very-very happy and grateful. The 22nd came around pretty fast but overall it was mix feeling of relief emotion like it has all come to an end,” he said.
