Dinesh Karthik has lived a nomadic life in T20 franchises, having played for six franchises in his 16-year career in the Indian Premier League that ended at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2024. Though he is still associated with IPL as a Mentor at RCB, as a player Karthik is set for another journey, in South Africa where he made his T20I debut on December 1, 2006.
Also, it was in South Africa that Karthik won his first global title as part of the Indian team that clinched the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007.
Set to become the first Indian player to take part in the SA20, the third season of which will be held from January 9 to February 8, 2025, the former India international is excited about his new innings and is hopeful his sojourn to the African continent will attract many more from his country.
It is this bond with IPL that makes Karthik believe that more Indian players will venture out into the SA20 in future. He says he will share his opinion after his debut season.
Though Karthik is retired from both international cricket and the IPL as a player and there are fewer chances of current players shunning the IPL riches for SA20 or for that matter any other league, it definitely opens up a new door for those who fail to get IPL deals and want to try their luck elsewhere.
Asked whether he sees a lot of Indian players in action in SA20 ten years down the line, Karthik was non-committal but said cricketers are always looking to improve and grow financially.