In a candid conversation with India TV, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma opened up about his journey, aspirations, and moments of introspection regarding his cricketing career. The 30-year-old, who is about to turn 31, shared his pragmatic and straightforward approach to the challenges that lie ahead. Known for his practical outlook on life, Jitesh expressed his understanding of where he stands in the competitive cricket landscape and what it would take to make his mark again in the international cricket scene.
Jitesh’s journey into the spotlight began with the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he was in the running for a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad. He admitted that he was overwhelmed with thoughts of potential selection, saying, “When the IPL started, I was thinking a lot about the World Cup, and maybe that’s why I wasn’t able to focus much on the given match.” His dream of playing in the World Cup hung heavily over his mind, impacting his performance.
Jitesh was refreshingly candid about how the idea of making the World Cup squad was a first for him, acknowledging, “Obviously, for the first time, I was so close for the World Cup [selection]. I am not ashamed to accept it. It is what it is.” However, once the squad was announced and his name was not on the list, Jitesh felt a relief that allowed him to perform better in subsequent matches, as the pressure was lifted.
Before the announcement of India’s T20 World Cup squad, Jitesh’s highest score in eight innings was 29, with consistent scores between 10 to 30. Although he concluded the IPL season with an impressive unbeaten 32 off just 15 balls while leading Punjab Kings against Sunrisers Hyderabad, it was a case of too little, too late. Nevertheless, this late performance helped him approach his cricket with a newfound calmness.
Graciously accepting the selections of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson over himself, Jitesh noted, “If I was a selector, I wouldn’t have picked myself at that moment because Rishabh had come back and proved himself, and the form Sanju bhai was in, I wouldn’t have picked myself. I too would have preferred those two only.”
Reflecting on his World Cup selection anxieties, Jitesh admitted that his overthinking led to missed opportunities, particularly during the IPL and the Zimbabwe series. He explained that although hopes lingered, setbacks were understandable given his inconsistent season. He valued the chance for younger players to be trialed, noting, “As a player, you always have expectations of getting picked wherever the team plays.
. So naturally, I also expected it, but I was fine with it because I know I had an up-and-down season in the IPL and the team is also trying a few youngsters. So I don’t have any grudges in that regard.”
Despite not fulfilling his potential on previous occasions, Jitesh remains optimistic about his future in the India team. Determined to make a successful comeback, he sees his current opportunities under new team management as pivotal. The change in leadership, now under Gautam Gambhir, brings a different dynamic, having previously played under Rahul Dravid. “In my first interaction with Gauti [Gambhir] bhai, he cleared it up that in this team we have to play selfless cricket. We have to play to win,” Jitesh revealed.
The wicketkeeper-batter faces the ongoing challenge of being judged on his performances — a burden shared by fellow cricketer Sanju Samson. Jitesh argues that middle-order batters should not be solely evaluated on their runs. Instead, the value they bring to a team’s chances of winning must also be considered. He said, “How close the batter has taken his team to a win or if he helped the team win, the one who probably becomes the difference between win and loss, a middle-order batter should be judged on those aspects only.”
With an eye on the future, particularly the South Africa T20I series in November, Jitesh focuses on keeping things straightforward and evolving his gameplay. “I am trying to keep things very simple. I am looking to middle as many balls as I can,” he stated, practicing on surfaces with bounce to improve his adaptability. His ultimate goal is to shift public perception from seeing him as merely a power hitter to recognizing him as a reliable match finisher. As he continues to push himself, Jitesh also awaits the next IPL auction with optimism, despite no recent communication from Punjab Kings.
Now with more experience, including captaining in the IPL, Jitesh believes in listening and then filtering ideas to take the best course of action. Having played under the stewardship of Shikhar Dhawan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rohit Sharma, Jitesh appreciates the diverse leadership styles and has found an effective communication channel with Surya bhai, known for his balance between firmness and approachability.
