CSK Picked MS Dhoni over me, that was the biggest dagger to my heart: Dinesh Karthik

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Dinesh Karthik who has been a prolific run-scorer for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket said he was shocked when he was not picked by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the first auctions.

Karthik has played for as many as six franchises in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), but never for the three-time champions CSK.

“In 2008, I was in Australia, in the lead up to the auctions, Dinesh Karthik the person, was convinced that he was the biggest name from Tamil Nadu cricket to have played for the country. For sure, they (CSK) are going to pick me. Question is whether or not they are going to make me the captain or not, it was all going on in my head,” Karthik said while speaking on a Cricbuzz chat show with Harsh Bhogle.

“The first name I saw picked (by CSK in the first IPL auction) was MS Dhoni, for 1.5 million. He was sitting right down the corner from me. He didn’t even tell me a word that he was going to be picked by CSK. I guess he didn’t know, but that was the biggest dagger to my heart,” Karthik said.

“Then I thought they’re going to pick me later. But it’s been 13 years and I’m still waiting for the elusive call from CSK,” the wicket-keeper batsman said.