IPL: A month after announcing his retirement from all forms of cricket, former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has joined Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as their batting coach and mentor. Karthik, 39, was part of the RCB squad until IPL 2024 before retiring at the end of the season. He was picked by RCB in the IPL 2022 mega auction and played with them for three seasons. He also had a stint with RCB in 2015.


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"Welcome our keeper in every sense, Dinesh Karthik back into RCB in an all new avatar. DK will be the batting coach and mentor of RCB Men’s team," RCB posted on X.



Dinesh Karthik's Good IPL Season 2024


Karthik finished his IPL career with 326 runs in 13 innings in the 2024 season at a strike rate of 187.35. Overall, he played 60 matches for RCB, scoring 937 runs at an average of 24.65 and a strike rate of 162.95. His run tally is the second-highest for an Indian player for RCB in the IPL, behind Virat Kohli. Karthik also took 36 catches and made nine stumpings during his RCB career.


Karthik recently joined the England Lions coaching staff during their tour of India in January. He helped the team's preparations as part of their coaching set-up for the first nine days of the tour. At RCB, Karthik will work alongside head coach Andy Flower, bowling coach Adam Griffith, and director of cricket Mo Bobat.


Karthik is one of seven players to have featured in every edition of the IPL since 2008. He represented six IPL teams in total: Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Kolkata Knight Riders, and RCB.


In his IPL career, Karthik played 257 matches, scoring 4842 runs with an average of 26.31 and a strike rate of 135.36, including 22 fifties. As a wicketkeeper, he is second in overall dismissals (174) behind MS Dhoni (190). Karthik also played 26 Tests, 94 ODIs, and 60 T20Is for India, making his debut in an ODI against England in 2004.