Jitesh Sharma, the wicketkeeper-batter for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), is really enjoying the guidance of his batting coach and mentor, Dinesh Karthik. Under Karthik’s coaching, Jitesh is working hard to become a more versatile player on the field. RCB had picked him up for a hefty price of Rs 11 Crore during the mega-auction before this season kicked off, and he has already made quite the impression with some exciting performances.
Just the other day, Jitesh scored an explosive 40 runs off just 19 balls in a match against the Mumbai Indians, contributing to his team’s impressive total of 221 runs for 5 wickets in 20 overs. In a recent press conference, Jitesh shared how things have changed for him this season. He’s been putting in a lot of work with Dinesh Karthik, who is aiming to reshape his playing style. “It’s been an incredible journey so far. During the off-season, I really focused on my training with him. I feel like every shot I’m playing now is a reflection of what he used to do on the field. He’s trying to build a new player out of me,” Jitesh explained.
He also mentioned that he’s picked up a number of new shots that he’s excited to show off during games. “He really believes I can hit the ball in every direction. I’m having a lot of fun exploring this new role. When I hit those shots, it feels amazing because I’ve never done that before, and I feel fully supported in this process. I’m still working on it, though,” he added.
Before that match against MI, Jitesh had already played another solid innings where he scored 33 runs off 21 balls against the Gujarat Titans. He came in when the team was in a bit of trouble at 42 for 4 and managed to stitch together a partnership of 52 runs with Liam Livingstone before getting out. In just three outings this season, he has racked up a total of 85 runs, averaging 42.50 with a strong strike rate of 184.78. With all this momentum, Jitesh is looking forward to keeping up his great form as RCB prepares to face the Delhi Capitals in their next game.
