The right-hander has successfully played the role of a finisher for RCB in the last season, and is hungry for more.
While all the attention remains stalled at the business end of the T20 World Cup 2026, franchises have started training for the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). At the centre of it all, is a statement made by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Jitesh Sharma.
The wicketkeeper-batter from Vidarbha recently opened the lid on his mindset in the tournament, and expressed the way in which he thinks when he is under the pump – which is quite a regularity in the Indian league. However, one of his statements left many fans surprised.
The 32-year-old RCB wicketkeeper-batter presented himself on the AB de Villiers YouTube channel, expressing how he would grab any opportunity to become a hero for his side. He orated that he would sometimes pray to let the top-order collapse, so that he can play a one-sided innings to get his team over the line.
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For a long time before the T20 World Cup 2026 squads were announced, Jitesh Sharma was one of the guaranteed players for the wicketkeeper-batter spot in the Indian side for the coveted tournament. However, having Ishan Kishan gave India the top-order batting option, which was communicated to Jitesh pre-hand.
Though he hasn’t been in the scheme of things recently, Jitesh Sharma will be absolutely crucial for RCB’s chances in the upcoming edition of the IPL. After playing for three seasons with the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Jitesh was picked by RCB for his first season in Red & Gold in 2025 – a season in which RCB went on to lift the title for the first time in 18 years.
In the last season, Jitesh Sharma scored 261 runs across 11 innings, but what stood out for him was the strike-rate. The 32-year-old struck at 176.35, which happens to be his highest strike-rate in his IPL career so far. RCB will hope that he continued to take the bowlers to the cleaners.
Over the course of the last two years, Jitesh has worked a lot on his bat swing, which has helped him clear the rope with ease. His innovative stroke-play has caught the eye of players like AB de Villiers, which the legend was vocal about on his podcast.
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