Dinesh Karthik drops 'last match' hint over potential IPL retirement after win over CSK: 'I called 26 family members...'

Veteran Royal Challengers Bengaluru wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik has hinted at retirement after the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League. The 38-year-old has been in staggering form this season and has done extremely well as RCB's finisher, qualifying for the playoffs and finishing the league stage in fourth position. He also played an impactful cameo (14 off 6 balls) in the do-or-die clash against Chennai Super Kings on Saturday night where they emerged victorious by 27 runs and sealed the playoffs berth.

Karthik revealed that he called 26 members of his family for the CSK game as he thought it could be his last game in IPL.

"Three weeks ago I made this decision that okay seven losses from eight games so this (May 18) will be my last day. I called 26 members of my family and I thought it will be my last day. But they ended up realizing that I maybe playing a few more games," Karthik said in a video uploaded by RCB.

RCB made a sensational turnaround in this season and won six matches on a trot after losing seven of their first eight to reach the playoffs.

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Karthik feels that RCB's remarkable turnaround in winning six games on the trot and barging into the playoffs this year will inspire other teams in the future.

"People will always remember certain journeys. The way we have come back after eight games, we needed to win six, people will remember this team," Karthik was quoted as saying in a RCB release.

The veteran star said that it was not an easy job but RCB kept believing in themselves to produce something special.

"Every year in this tournament, when you hit the seven-game mark, there will be one or two teams which would have probably won one or two and they will look to us and say, 'RCB did it. That was special. We are going to try and repeat what RCB did. That is what we all play cricket for, sport for, where people follow us and believe us that they can do something special. It is hard. It is not going to be easy, I can tell any team that. What we have achieved today is very, very special," Karthik said.