Jitesh Sharma has shared that the backing he got from head coach VVS Laxman helped him a lot in the fourth T20I between India and Australia. Jitesh smashed 35 runs off 19 deliveries as the Indian team set a 175-run target in Raipur on Friday and later restricted the visitors to 154/7 to complete a 20-run win and seal the five-match series 3-1 before the final game in Bengaluru on Sunday.

During an interaction on JioCinema, Jitesh Sharma said: “I didn’t talk much with Rinku but VVS Sir (Laxman) told me to back my game. He asked me to play as I have been playing and according to the situation. He has always backed me in my preparation. His focus is always that if your preparation is good, the result will automatically be good. Then when I spoke to Rinku, he said we should take the game deep. I told him that I would go on an all-out attack if an off-spinner came and asked him to handle the leg-spinner. That was my game plan.”

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However, Jitesh smashed three sixes and a four during his innings. He hit Chris Green for two sixes in the 15th over of India’s innings before smashing a maximum off Aaron Hardie’s bowling. Jitesh Sharma also shared his feelings before facing a formidable opponent like Australia.

“There was a lot of excitement. I was eagerly waiting for this opportunity. When you play in India, you have extra pressure and excitement. I didn’t have any pressure and I was very keen to perform here. You need to have belief in your preparation, that you have to replicate in the match what you have been doing in practice. Yes, I was disappointed because the most sixes are hit in the 19th and 20th overs, so I was waiting for that,” Jitesh Sharma concluded.