Former India keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has been named as the skipper of the Indian Team for the upcoming Hong Kong Sixes 2025 tournament. The decision to name the veteran as the skipper was taken on Tuesday, September 23. The action-packed tournament will kick off on November 07. The commentator is also the second Indian included in the squad after Ravichandran Ashwin.
Karthik, who enjoyed an over a decade-long career, is widely celebrated for his humongous amount of experience, astute leadership qualities, and for his six-hitting abilities, which he developed in the latter stages of his career. The keeper's appointment as the leader will boost the team's morale and confidence, and add a supreme level of excitement to the tournament.
Advertisement
Also Read: Ashwin in talks with BBL franchises, set to play backend stages of the tournament
"It is an absolute honor leading Team India at the Hong Kong Sixes, a tournament with such rich history and global recognition. I look forward to leading a group of players who have such incredible records to their credit, and together we will aim to bring joy to the fans and play cricket that is both fearless and entertaining,” said Karthik as quoted by NDTV Sports.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dinesh Karthik as the captain of Team India for the Hong Kong Sixes 2025. His leadership and wealth of experience will add immense value to the competition, and we are confident that his presence will attract fans from across the globe to witness this spectacular cricketing festival,” said the chairperson of Cricket Hong Kong China, Burji Shroff.
Also Read: IND vs WI: Rishabh Pant's comeback delayed, to miss home Test series against West Indies
“Having Dinesh Karthik lead India at the Hong Kong Sixes is a proud moment for us at Arivaa Sports. His charisma and ability to thrive under pressure make him the perfect leader for this format. This is yet another step towards strengthening the legacy of the Hong Kong Sixes as one of the most exciting global cricketing events,” said Arivaa Sports' Rajneesh Chopra.
Dinesh Karthik's incredible IPL career
Notably, the 40-year-old brings a wealth of experience from a storied international and domestic career, which has seen lots of ups and downs. The expert has featured for India in 26 Tests, 94 ODIs, and 60 T20Is, contributing match-winning runs across formats. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Karthik has turned out for teams like Mumbai Indians (MI), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and lastly for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He thrived in the role of finisher for RCB in the 2022 season, which also earned him a recall in the national side.
After quitting playing IPL, the veteran served as assistant coach of RCB alongside head coach Andy Flower in the IPL 2025 season. He played an instrumental role in the team ending an 18-year trophy drought to win an IPL trophy.
