Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma recently opened up about his journey into the Indian team and the emotional rollercoaster that came with it. In a candid chat shared by RCB, Jitesh recalled the moment he was drafted into the national side as a replacement for Sanju Samson, who was sidelined due to a knee injury. The news came as a surprise, and the pace at which it all unfolded didn’t give him time to process it.
“I received a call from one of the Indian selectors who told me, ‘We’re looking forward to having you in the Indian team. Be ready, you’ll get another call by evening with your travel details,’” Jitesh Sharma recalled. “Everything happened so quickly that I didn’t even get a moment to let it sink in. I landed, and the next day I was at practice. I was so nervous—my hands and legs had gone cold.”
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Though highly rated as one of the most promising wicketkeeper-batters in the country, Jitesh remains behind Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Sanju Samson in the pecking order. So far, he has featured in nine T20Is for India, scoring 100 runs with a top score of 35.
𝐉𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚: 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 🙌
Talented, Brave, Humble and Smart – attributes not often associated with the same individual. But, he’s different… This is the story of Jitesh Sharma – the man who is… pic.twitter.com/tNlRprM89j
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) April 16, 2025
Now, Jitesh is banking on IPL 2025 to turn the tide. Bought for a staggering ₹11 crore by RCB, he feels the weight of expectations but also the love from fans. “During the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, people were shouting ‘Jitesh-Jitesh’ and ‘RCB-RCB’. That’s when it hit me—this is a big team, and this isn’t just any regular moment in my career,” he said.
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“What really blew my mind was that 100 to 150 people were waiting to get my autograph. Even when I had already played for India, not even two people came for it,” he added with a laugh.
