Karn Sharma Retires from International and Domestic Cricket at 38

Veteran legspinner Karn Sharma has announced his retirement from international and Indian domestic cricket at the age of 38, bringing the curtain down on a career that spanned nearly two decades.

The Railways cricketer announced his decision on Saturday night following a UP T20 League match between Kanpur Superstars and Meerut Mavericks. He will play his final game during his team's last match of the Lucknow leg on August 25.

"I now want to retire. I am extremely grateful to my family, BCCI, Railways, UPCA, Andhra, Vidarbha Cricket Association and everyone who has supported me throughout this journey," Karn said after making the announcement. "After this, I will be available for coaching and other responsibilities related to the game of cricket."

Karn made his first-class, List A and T20 debuts during the 2007-08 domestic season and initially developed as an allrounder. He made an immediate impact, scoring a century on his Ranji Trophy debut.

His breakthrough season came in 2012-13, when he claimed 21 wickets at an average of 19.04 in three Ranji Trophy matches. His performances earned him the BCCI's Best Under-25 Cricketer award and helped put him on the national selectors' radar.

In 2014, Sunrisers Hyderabad bought Karn for INR 3.75 crore at the IPL auction, making him the most expensive uncapped Indian player at the time. His performances soon earned him an international call-up for India's tour of England.

Karn made his T20I debut on that tour and dismissed England batter Joe Root. He subsequently joined India's ODI squad for the series against Sri Lanka and made his debut in the memorable match in which Rohit Sharma scored 264, still the highest individual score in men's ODI cricket.

Karn played two ODIs in the series but did not take a wicket. Later that year, he was selected for India's Test tour of Australia and featured in the Adelaide Test, taking two wickets in each innings.

That proved to be his final international appearance. Although he was selected for India's limited-overs tour of Zimbabwe in 2015, an injury ruled him out. He ultimately finished his international career with one Test, two ODIs and one T20I.

Karn's biggest success came in the IPL. In 2018, he became the first player to win IPL titles with three different franchises, having lifted the trophy with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016, Mumbai Indians in 2017 and Chennai Super Kings in 2018.

His journey also included stints with Vidarbha and Andhra before he returned to Railways. Karn last played in the IPL for Mumbai Indians in 2025 and remained part of the Railways setup across all three formats during the 2025-26 domestic season.

Karn finishes his first-class career just three matches short of 100 appearances. Across 97 first-class matches, he claimed 270 wickets at an average of 27.60, including 14 five-wicket hauls. With the bat, he scored 2,866 runs in 138 innings, including two centuries and 14 half-centuries.

In List A cricket, Karn took 153 wickets in 123 matches, including three five-wicket hauls, while also scoring a century and six fifties. His T20 career produced 168 wickets in 191 matches, with 87 of those coming in 90 IPL appearances.

After years of competing across domestic cricket and the IPL, Karn Sharma now begins the next chapter of his career, with coaching and other cricket-related responsibilities set to be his focus following retirement.