Wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik is set to become the first Indian to participate in the South African T20 league, SA20, next year. Despite having recently retired from all forms of cricket, Karthik will return to the field with Paarl Royals, the sister franchise of IPL's Rajasthan Royals.
After a successful IPL season in 2024, Karthik chose to retire, even though he had no fitness issues and could have continued for another IPL cycle. In a post-tournament interview, he mentioned that while he could have kept playing, he decided it was the right time to step away. Subsequently, he was appointed as the batting coach and mentor for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a team he had played for in two separate periods. However, he decided to come out of retirement for an opportunity he felt he couldn't pass up.
Karthik expressed his excitement about the opportunity, recalling his fond memories of playing in and visiting South Africa. He described the chance to return to competitive cricket and compete with the Royals as something he couldn't refuse.
Although Karthik has been a part of the IPL since its inception and played in all 17 seasons, he has never played for Rajasthan Royals. He shared that the Royals' franchise setup had always been attractive to him as a player. He expressed his delight at joining the Paarl Royals team, which he believes has a lot of experience, quality, and potential, and he looks forward to contributing to an exciting season.
Kumar Sangakkara, Royals' Director of Cricket, praised Karthik as one of the modern greats in Indian white-ball cricket. He highlighted Karthik's experience and the positive impact he has had on the teams he has represented. Sangakkara expressed his excitement about Karthik's signing and his anticipation for Karthik to join the Paarl Royals group.
Karthik will be joining the David Miller-led team, which reached the semifinals in the first season (2024) and was eliminated in the second season's Eliminator (2024). The third season of the SA20 league is scheduled to take place from January 8 to February 9, 2025.