Breaking MS Dhoni's record is no big deal for Dinesh Karthik: 'It’s not something...'

Dinesh Karthik has surpassed MS Dhoni's record for the most runs scored by an Indian wicketkeeper in T20s. Karthik achieved this feat during the SA20 tournament, where he played for Paarl Royals, reaching a total of 7537 runs, eclipsing Dhoni's 7432 runs. 
 
Karthik downplayed his historic feat in a media interaction, as he humbly stated, "I played a lot of my cricket wanting to play for India. And when I retired from IPL and playing in India six months ago, I think that was the most important thing — to play for the country and do well. I’ve never been someone who’s very fascinated by records, probably because I don’t have great records.”

When informed about breaking Dhoni's record, he replied, "It is great to know that I overtook Dhoni, but it won’t be a matter of time before he overtakes me back. And it really wouldn’t trouble me much. I’m happy for him to keep that record as the highest whatever, run-scorer as a wicketkeeper. It’s nice to know, but it’s not something that I crave or really want," he added. His response reflected his down-to-earth attitude, prioritizing his passion for playing cricket over personal records. 

Karthik had announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket, including the IPL, last year. Meanwhile, Dhoni remains actively involved with the IPL and is set to play for Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming 2025 season, starting on March 22. Meanwhile, he made history by becoming the first Indian cricketer to participate in the SA20 league. In 11 matches, he batted eight times, accumulating 130 runs with an impressive strike rate of 121.49.

For those unaware, Dinesh Karthik and MS Dhoni made their T20 debuts together in 2006. While Dhoni went on to captain India to a World Cup title, Karthik never led the team in an international match. Although Karthik remains an active cricketer, his on-field return is uncertain. However, he will make his coaching debut as Royal Challengers Bengaluru's batting coach and mentor in IPL 2025.