Dinesh Karthik smashes it around in the Paarl Royals nets ahead of SA20 2025 [Watch] 

Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik looked in great touch during Paarl Royals' practice session ahead of the upcoming SA20 2025. The 39-year-old is set to become the first Indian player to partake in the South African league.

A couple of days before the side's opening encounter, Karthik was seen hitting big shots at an open nets session. Taking to their official Instagram handle, the franchise shared a video, giving fans a glimpse of the swashbuckling batter's practice.

Dinesh Karthik was last seen in action during the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). Playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), he amassed 326 runs across 13 innings at a fantastic strike rate of 187.35.

He announced his retirement from formative cricket on June 1, 2024, his 39th birthday. Karthik was later roped in by RCB as their new batting coach and mentor. The dynamic batter will return to the cricket field with the upcoming SA20 2025. Paarl Royals will open their campaign on January 11 with a clash against defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

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"Hopefully, the BCCI will allow us to get more Indian players in the future" - AB de Villiers on Dinesh Karthik's participation in SA 20 2025

Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers wants to see more Indian stars follow Dinesh Karthik's footsteps. He hoped that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would allow other Indian players to take part in SA20 in the future.

Speaking at a media interaction, de Villiers said (quoted as saying by Sports Tak):

"I would love to see more Indian players involved. We know Dinesh Karthik will be here this year, which is fantastic, and it's great for the tournament. Hopefully, the BCCI will allow us to get more Indian players in the future to come and join the fun of SA20."

BCCI don't allow active Indian cricketers to feature in overseas T20 leagues. Several cricketers like Karthik, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, and Shikhar Dhawan have played in such leagues following their retirements from Indian cricket.