India wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma discusses his journey in cricket, from aspiring to join the Air Force to becoming an IPL finisher, crediting mentors and the RCB franchise for his development.
Towards the end of the video, backup wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma perfectly summed up the frosty challenge clutching his hoodie tightly around his ears and showing off his thin gloves.
Karthik said Jitesh's turnaround stemmed from focusing less on desperation for an India spot and more on refining his finishing skills.
In a match that was a do or die for RCB -- they HAD to win to seal a spot in Qualifier 1 -- the Ekana stadium watched in admiration as the stand-in skipper played the innings of his life.
The couple tied the knot on August 8, 2024, and shared the happy news with fans on Instagram.
'Jitesh Sharma has shown he is quite a capable player. He can bat lower down the order and look to hit the big shots even with a slightly older ball.'
India A crashed out of the Rising Stars Asia Cup in heartbreaking fashion on Friday, suffering a Super Over defeat to Bangladesh A in the semifinal at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha.
If starting with Jitesh Sharma in the last three T20s in Australia felt like an experiment, his selection over fellow wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson in the series opener against South Africa provided ample clarity over team management's thought process going in to the World Cup at home.
Jitesh Sharma, who has emerged as India's preferred wicketkeeper-batter in T20 format with less than two months left for the World Cup, has played down his 'competition' with Sanju Samson in the squad, saying it only brings out his "A-game" to the fore, strengthening the side.
Former India chief selector and current Punjab Kings spin bowling coach Sunil Joshi rates Jitesh Sharma among the best wicketkeeper-batters in the country and feels it is only a matter of time before he plays for the national team.
Endorsed by Virender Sehwag after seeing his array of strokeplay, Punjab Kings' Jitesh Sharma is the new talk of the town. 'I have worked hard on this (on his range of strokes). Playing straight is my strength. It is down to preparation again. I also try to learn a new shot every year or learn something new.'
Jitesh Sharma could well pip Ishan Kishan for second wicketkeeper's slot in the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian T20 team which will play three T20Is against the Bangladesh starting October 6 in Gwalior.
Against Bangladesh, Samson wasn't even considered good enough to come inside the top seven of the line-up and that begs a question as to what is he doing in the team if he isn't good enough to come ahead of Axar Patel.
'Hearts are broken for sure. You've got to feel bad for Shubman Gill.'
Jitesh Sharma will be seen in action next when Royal Challengers Bengaluru is scheduled to face Delhi Capitals on Thursday.
As the victorious RCB squad returned to their team hotel in Ahmedabad late Tuesday night, they were welcomed like true champions-with dhol beats, thunderous cheers, and an atmosphere electric with celebration.
Shreyas Iyer, Riyan Parag and Jitesh Sharma are the three names that Aakash Chopra has thrown in as potential replacements for the injured Tilak Varma.
The Indian cricket fraternity shared their views on India's T20I World Cup squad, which threw up several surprises with the return of Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan, while Jitesh Sharma missed out and Shubman Gill was dropped.
All-rounder Axar Patel was named vice-captain of the squad, which also saw the return of in-form Ishan Kishan, who pipped Jitesh Sharma as the second wicketkeeper behind Sanju Samson.
Shubman Gill is set to make a comeback during the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, starting in Cuttack, on December 9.
After losing his central contract and slipping down the pecking order, Ishan Kishan rebuilt his game and mindset through discipline, meditation and domestic grind - culminating in a defining performance against Pakistan.
Jitesh Sharma left spectators enchanted with an unbeaten 85 from a mere 33 deliveries while striking handsomely at 257.58, his best in the IPL's history.
Strong fifties from Atharva Taide and Ravikumar Samarth powered Vidarbha into the quarterfinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a thumping 160-run win over Assam in Rajkot on Thursday.
India's T20 World Cup squad had space for only 15, but the pool of quality options ran far deeper. The consequence was inevitable: several players with genuine claims were left on the outside, the unlucky ones who narrowly missed the cut.
"Gill should cement his place at the top order in T20": Irfan Pathan
Wicket-keeper/batter Jitesh Sharma attributed his his recent success in the shortest format to the efforts put in by Royal Challengers Bengaluru mentor Dinesh Karthik, who believes that Jitesh can be a true '360' degree player.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Shubman Gill's indifferent form is a massive concern but the national selection committee is unlikely to make any shocking changes when it picks the 15-member squad for next year's T20 World Cup in Mumbai on Saturday.
The national selectors brought back wicketkeeper-batter Kishan along with Rinku Singh while dropping Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill who has been struggling in the T20 format.
India all-rounder Axar Patel was on Monday ruled out of the remaining two T20 Internationals against South Africa due to illness with the BCCI's selection committee naming Shahbaz Ahmed as his replacement.
14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the youngest centurion in men's T20 cricket, will once again be the player to watch out for in the Rising Stars Asia Cup.
Sanju Samson's T20I future took another hit on Tuesday as India benched him yet again, favouring the finishing skills of Jitesh Sharma in a team that now appears fully committed to its Shubman Gill-led blueprint.
'He's the guy who can win you games with bat and ball. He can bowl in any situation, he can bat anywhere in the line up.'
Players of both India A and Pakistan Shaheens teams on Sunday avoided handshakes before the start of their match in the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament here, continuing the trend started by the senior side during the Asia Cup in September.
Yorkers on the field, reels off it -- Arshdeep Singh is mastering both games. The left-arm pacer, already India's leading T20I wicket-taker, is fast becoming cricket's social media star.
Hardik Pandya made a memorable comeback to the Indian team, smashing a blistering half-century to power India to a thumping 101-run win over South Africa in the first T20 International.
Rinku Singh made a roaring return with a match-tilting 44 not out off 20 balls against New Zealand in Nagpur on Wednesday
Hardik Pandya's dazzling performance with both bat and ball powered Baroda to an emphatic 149-run victory against Chandigarh.
The T20 WC champions will look to enter this phase with clarity of intent as they refine roles, streamline combinations and settle the XI that will carry the weight of expectations in front of home crowds.
Smashes second fastest T20 hundred by an Indian batter at India A's Asia Cup Rising Stars match against UAE on Friday.
Images from the second T20 International between India and South Africa, at the PCA's New Chandigarh Stadium, Mullanpur.
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