He made his first Test century against Bangladesh and was India's top scorer in their Test tour of England and helped India win their first series in England in 21 years. After a drop in form in September 2007, Karthik was dropped from the Test team. Since then he has only made sporadic international appearances, although he continues to score well domestically. Between 2018 and 2020 he was the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders IPL team. Karthik has also occasionally worked as a commentator/pundit for UK broadcaster Sky Sports between 2020-21, most notably during the India tour of England.

Personal Life

Karthik was born into a Telugu family in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He started playing cricket at the age of 10 after living in Kuwait (where his father worked) for two years. Karthik was educated in India at the Carmel School and the Fahaheel Al-Watanieh Indian Private School in Kuwait and eventually studied from the eighth grade at the Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Egmore in Chennai. He was coached in cricket by his father, a Chennai Premier League cricketer. Disappointed that his career was hampered when he was forced by his family to put his education first, Karthik's father did not want his son to suffer the same fate and trained him hard from an early age. Karthik honed his reflexes from an early age by having his father throw hard leather balls at him at high speeds. Originally a batsman, he learned wicket-keeping in the youth teams of Tamil Nadu and Robin Singh thought he was very fit.

Karthik rose steadily through the youth ranks. He made his U14 debut in Tamil Nadu in early 1999 and was promoted to the U19 team at the start of the 2000/2001 season. He made his first-class debut for the senior team the following season.

Karthik was married to Nikita Vanjara in 2007. Dinesh Karthik and Nikita divorced in 2012. He took part in dance reality show Ek Khiladi Ek Hasina with Nigaar Khan in 2008. Dinesh Karthik Wife Karthik became engaged to Indian squash player Dipika Pallikal in November 2013 and they were married in August 2015 in traditional Christian and Hindu ceremonies. The couple welcomed twins Kabir and Zian on October 18, 2021.

Domestic Career

Karthik made his first-class debut against Baroda in late 2002 as a wicket-keeper. He appeared in five round games and had 179 runs with an average of 35.80, not failing in his second game with a high score of 88 against Uttar Pradesh. Karthik's form faltered after that game and he failed to make it past the 20 during the season. He made 11 catches but was ruled out of the final games of the season due to repeated wicket-keeping errors.

Overlooked in selection for the zonal Duleep Trophy, Karthik played for South Zone in the Under-19s. He was more productive in his second zone season, hitting 180 runs at 60.00 in three half centuries. He was selected for the U19 national team and played in three Youth One Day Internationals (ODIs) against Nepal.

Karthik attended a wicket-keeping camp in the off-season led by former Indian goalkeeper and chairman of the selectors Kiran More, whom he credited with improving his technique. After playing in the Chennai League, he returned to the under-22 side at the start of the season before being called up for India Emerging Players at the end of September to take on their youthful counterparts from Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Karthik was recalled to the Ranji Trophy team early in the 2003–04 season. He scored 438 carries (43.80 average) with two centuries and made 20 catches. In the semifinals against Railways, he scored his first first-class century with 122 runs. He followed with an unbeaten 109 in the final against Mumbai.

Karthik was selected for the India squad at the 2004 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh and scored two half centuries on an India A tour to Zimbabwe. He had a strong domestic first class season in 2008/09. After starting the Ranji Trophy campaign with double digits, he scored 213 runs in partnership with Subramaniam Badrinath as Tamil Nadu defeated Uttar Pradesh by one innings. Karthik then scored 123 and 113 in consecutive games against Baroda and Railways before ending his Ranji Trophy campaign with 72 against Uttar Pradesh in the second leg. He continued his strong run against Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy, scoring 153 (103 in a game). Karthik finished the season with 1,026 runs at 64.12, including five centuries and two fifties.

He captained Tamil Nadu in six Ranji Trophy games in 2009–2010. Karthik scored 152 against Orissa and 117 against Punjab, adding two more points of at least 70. He scored just 16 runs in his four other innings and finished the season with 443 runs and a 55.37 batting average.

Karthik was named India A-Team captain for the 2018–19 Deodhar Trophy in October 2018. In October 2019 he was called up to the Indian C squad for the next edition. Karthik led the Tamil Nadu team to their second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win at the 2020/21 edition of the tournament after guiding the team to a win at the inaugural 2006/07 edition. He finished the race with 183 runs at 61.00 and was named captain in Wisden's "Team of the Tournament".

Dinesh Karthik is the fourth Indian batsman to have played 300 T20 matches.

Indian Premier League

Dinesh Karthik IPL Karthik played in the 2008 Indian Premier League as a wicket-keeper for the Delhi Daredevils, scoring 145 runs on 24.16 with a batting average of 135.51. His highest score was an unbeaten 56 to lead Delhi to a five-wicket win in a group game against the Mumbai Indians. In the 2009 South African-hosted Indian Premier League, Karthik played in each of Delhi's 15 matches. He scored 288 runs at 36.00, passing 40 three times and making 17 layoffs. Despite Delhi leading the pool phase of the tournament, Karthik made just nine in the semifinals and Delhi was defeated by the Deccan Chargers by six wickets.

He was bought by Kings XI Punjab in 2011 for $900,000 making him the second most expensive player in their squad. For the 2012 Indian Premier League, Karthik joined the Mumbai Indians for $2.35 million. He played two seasons (2012, 2013) with the Mumbai Indians where he won his only IPL title so far in the 2013 season.

He was bought back again by Delhi in 2014, by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2015 and by the Gujarat Lions in 2016 who kept him for the 2017 season. Karthik was named wicket-keeper of the tournament's IPL XI by CricBuzz in 2017. He was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2018 IPL season (replacing Gautam Gambhir) and led the team to the playoffs. Karthik was named to the Cricinfo and CricBuzz IPL XI for his performance in the 2018 IPL season.

In 2020, mid-season, Karthik ceded the captaincy to Eoin Morgan. However, the team only managed to win 3 of 7 games in the second half and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second year in a row.

He managed to score just 223 runs and enforce 7 layoffs in IPL 2021.

Dinesh Karthik IPL 2022 At the 2022 IPL auction, Karthik was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for ₹5.50 crores (Dinesh Karthik Net Worth).

International Career
Test Career

Karthik made his Test cricket debut in the fourth Test between Australia and India in Mumbai in October 2004, replacing Parthiv Patel (who was dropped for poor wicket keeping). He scored 14 runs in two innings and made two catches but was praised for his wicket keeping on a variable jump and spin course that had 40 wickets down in two days.

He only played in one game against England at Lord's and scored one run. Despite dropping England captain Michael Vaughan from Anil Kumble's bowling, he eventually stumbled into Vaughan and made another catch. Karthik played against Kenya in the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy and caught three catches before being replaced by MS Dhoni on the ODI team. He did not play another ODI until April 2006.

Karthik was retained for India's next engagement: a two-Test home series against South Africa. In a high-scoring tie that saw both teams exceed 450 in the first innings, Karthik managed just a single run in the first Test at Kanpur.

In the second Test in Kolkata, he scored 46 runs to extend India's first innings lead to 106 runs for the hosts' eight-wicket win.

Karthik had a chance to score high in India's two-Test tour of Bangladesh in December 2004. Against a team that had never won a Test, India swept the series, winning both games by one innings. Although his side surpassed 500 in both games, Karthik only managed 25 and 11 goals.

However, he was retained for the three Test series at home against Pakistan in March. In a high-scoring tie in the first Test at Mohali, Karthik scored just six of India's 516 runs. He then had his best Test batting performance to date at Eden Gardens in Kolkata against Pakistan. India struck first; Karthik made a start and reached 28 before running out. India made 407 and Pakistan almost equalized, responding with 393. Karthik scored in the second innings and joined Rahul Dravid in a 166-run partnership to set a 422 goal. The pitch deteriorated and India won the match by 196 runs. In the next match, Karthik only made 10 and nine as India collapsed, losing ten wickets on the final day of an otherwise scoring match. 1,280 runs were scored for just 22 wickets in the first three innings.

Dhoni scored 148 in an ODI against Pakistan, replacing Karthik for the three Tests at home against Sri Lanka. In ten Tests since his debut, Karthik hit 245 runs at an 18.84 average with a half-century and another score over 25. He was selected as the reserve wicket-keeper and middle-order batsman for the Test team in November 2006.

After Dhoni injured a finger, Karthik replaced him for the third Test at Newlands against South Africa for his first Test in over a year. He opened the innings with Wasim Jaffer, allowing Sehwag to bat in middle order. He used his home experience to score 63 points in the first innings, combining it in a century-opening stand and helping India to 414 (enough for a 41 lead in the first innings). In the second innings, Karthik went 38 unbeaten as the team was out for 169. In addition to his batting, his wicket keeping was praised.

Despite not playing a match at the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, Karthik was selected after a squad reshuffle as a specialist to start a tour of Bangladesh. He scored 56 and 22 in the tied first Test in Chittagong before scoring his first Test century in the second Test in Dhaka, making 129 runs and appearing in a century-opening stand as India claimed an innings victory.

Karthik was a regular opener in the mid-2007 Test series in England. After scoring 76 and 51 in the two Tour matches prior to the Tests, he recorded half a century in each of the three Tests. In the first Test at Lord's, Karthik went 60 in the second innings before India fell to 9/282 (in pursuit of 380) when rain ended the match early. In the second Test at Trent Bridge, Karthik scored 77 and 22; In the third test in the oval, he scored 91 points. A total of 263 runs at 43.83, he was the top scorer in the series for India (who won their first series in England in 21 years). Karthik started the ODI streak with a 44-undefeated streak but had four straight innings in which he didn't score more than four runs and was dropped for the last two games.

He had a meager Test series at home against Pakistan in late 2008. Karthik managed just 39 in two innings of the first two Tests and surpassed single digits just once. Sachin Tendulkar was injured in the third test in Bangalore; his replacement, Yuvraj, scored 170. Karthik, who knocked down the order, scored 24 and 52 in a high-scoring tie and kept the wickets due to Dhoni's injury. Karthik was behind the stumps in the first innings as India set a world record for most conceded extras in a Test inning. the 35 byes were the second most in test history.

Karthik was retained as an opener for the Test tour of Australia and Gambhir was sidelined with injury. He didn't play in the first two Tests, however, as Dravid was brought into his opening position, allowing Tendulkar and Yuvraj to beat in middle order. As Dravid and Yuvraj struggled in their new positions, Dravid was moved back to his number three position and Yuvraj was dropped for the third Test of the series. Karthik was not recalled.

Karthik was retained as an opener for the Test tour of Australia and Gambhir was sidelined with injury. He didn't play in the first two Tests, however, as Dravid was brought into his opening position, allowing Tendulkar and Yuvraj to beat in middle order. As Dravid and Yuvraj struggled in their new positions, Dravid was moved back to his number three position and Yuvraj was dropped for the third Test of the series. Karthik was not recalled.

He was recalled to the Test team as wicket-keeper for the Tour of Sri Lanka in July 2008 when Dhoni took time off due to fatigue. Karthik played in the first two Tests but struggled with the racquet in the middle order. He scored 36 runs by 9:00, falling all four times to spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis.

He went 117 unbeaten against Kerala in the 2009 one-day tournament and was selected as reserve wicket-keeper for the New Zealand tour. After watching the T20 and ODI series, Karthik played in the second Test when Dhoni was injured. He was criticized for dropping a number of catches.
Karthik then played in the first Test at Chittagong after Dhoni was injured again. He ducked in the first innings and 27 in the second and watched the next match after Dhoni returned.

He scored 183 and 150 in the Duleep Trophy final against West Zone, becoming the third player to score centuries in both innings of a Duleep Trophy final.

Limited by Career

In April 2006, Karthik was recalled to the ODI team to give Dhoni a rest in the final ODI against England in Indore. He didn't need to bat as India drove to a seven-wicket win. Karthik was then reinstated as a reserve wicket-keeper for the Tour of the West Indies after scoring 134 runs for India A at 33.50, including 75 runs as a man-of-the-match against UAE. Later that year he had more opportunities at international level during the ODI tour of South Africa after Yuvraj Singh was injured. As a batsman in three of the ODIs, Karthik struggled with 42 carries at a 14.00 average and a top 17 score as South Africa received a 5-0 whitewash.

Dinesh Karthik's 15-year career includes 94 ODIs and 32 T20s. He has saved wickets for the Indian team at ICC events and important trophies, both ODIs and T20Is. Karthik performs best in T20s with a 33.25 and a 143.52 hit rate. While he was snubbed in ODIs after the 2019 ICC World Championship, Karthik is a solid contender for the 2020 ICC T20 World Championship. He scored an unbeaten 31 points to give India a one-ball six-wicket win over South Africa in the Twenty20 International lead substitute in 2007. Karthik then played in the four-game ODI series against West Indies. After failing to bat in the victorious first game, he scored the highest score at 63 as a specialist batsman as India rebounded from 35/3 to post 189 on a slow wicket at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. India won by 20 runs, giving Karthik his first man-of-the-match award. He was then selected for the series against Sri Lanka and the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Before their tour of England, India played a series of ODIs in Ireland against the hosts and South Africa. Karthik played in four games, hitting 15 runs at 51.00 and keeping the wicket in two games.

Selected for the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 2007 in South Africa in September 2007, he played in India's earlier games before being replaced by Rohit Sharma in the semi-finals and finals. During the series against England, he only played in the final game in Mumbai, making a duck as India clawed home with two wickets.

Back to the Form

Karthik had another chance in India's tour of the West Indies when he replaced Virender Sehwag, who was sidelined with a shoulder problem. He hit 67, 4 and 47 runs as the opener as India won the series 2-1. Karthik was signed for a short triangular ODI tournament in Sri Lanka in September. He scored 4 and 16 in India's two round robin games and was dropped for the final where India beat the hosts. Karthik was signed for the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa but missed his first two games after his performances in Sri Lanka. Although he had a chance in India's final group game against the West Indies, scoring 34 points in a seven-wicket win, it wasn't enough to prevent India's elimination in the first round.

In December 2009, during the Sri Lanka tour of India, Karthik was recalled to the ODI team after Dhoni was suspended for two games after the second game for low overstakes. Karthik kept wickets in the next two games, scoring 32 and 19 goals (undefeated in both) and helping lead India to goal in successful chases. He retained his place as middle-order batsman in the fifth and final game when Dhoni returned after Tendulkar was rested and Yuvraj injured, but the game was ended early due to an unsafe place.

Karthik retained his spot for the ODI tri-series in Bangladesh against the hosts and Sri Lanka after Tendulkar was rested for the tournament. He's been an opener with Gambhir in the last two round robin matches after Sehwag rested. Despite scoring 48 and 34 in a short span as India won both games, Karthik was dropped for the final (which India lost).

Karthik was recalled to the Indian ODI team for the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy after a good domestic season and IPL performance. He scored back-to-back goals in the two warm-up games, securing his spot on the team for the tournament.

On December 10, 2017, Karthik faced 18 deliveries without scoring a run against Sri Lanka, an ODI record. He was flown in for the third Test of India 2017/18 in South Africa to replace injured wicket-keeper Saha. Substitute Patel was picked up on the side before injuring his right index finger; Karthik started keeping the wickets on the fourth day of the test. Despite being on the roster for the limited overs games, he didn't make the playing eleven (except for the last T20I when he hit a six-ball 13). Karthik was called up again to the squad for the March 2018 Nidahas Trophy, tri-nation series after regular (and wicket-keeper) Dhoni rested. He played a game-winning shot of 29 unbeaten from eight balls in the final of the tournament against Bangladesh. Karthik came to bat as India needed 34 runs from their last two overs, and Karthik's attack (which included a six when he needed five runs from last ball) won the match and the tournament.

In April 2019 he was called up to India's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. On July 6, Karthik earned his 150th cap for India in a game against Sri Lanka.

Career as a Commentator

Dinesh Karthik was part of the commentary team during the T20I and ODI series between India and England which took place in March 2021. He made his debut behind the mic for the official broadcasters of the England and Wales Cricket Board. On 12 March 2021, Sky Sports announced that Karthik would be part of their commentary team for the inaugural season of the hundred. Dinesh Karthik and former captain Sunil Gavaskar were also the only two Indians included on the ICC's commentary panel for the inaugural final of the ICC World Test Championship between India and New Zealand in Southampton. Dinesh Karthik was also part of the commentary team during the T20I and ODI series between England and Sri Lanka which took place in July 2021.