The Indian Premier League has been the best and the biggest platform for young and unknown talents to showcase themselves. Ever since the first season, there is no shortage of young players entering the cricketing circuit.
One such talent is Punjab Kings’ hard-hitting middle-order batsman, Jitesh Sharma. Although Jitesh is no more a talent considering his age, he is relatively new to the biggest stage of Indian cricket.
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If you have been watching the IPL since the 2022 season, you would be familiar with Jitesh Sharma. However, on the 3rd of May 2023, in an encounter with the Mumbai Indians, Jitesh proved his mettle yet again.
Batting first, PBKS looked settled in the eleventh over, scoring 95 runs at a run rate of over eight. That is when Jitesh Sharma arrived at the crease.
Soon after, he took the ever-so-lethal Jofra Archer to the cleaners. He scored three boundaries off the Englishman’s bowling, displaying his attacking prowess. Courtesy of his partnership with Liam Livingstone, the PBKS set a target of 215 runs for the Mumbai Indians. Let’s find out more about Jitesh Sharma!
Which state is Jitesh Sharma from?
Jitesh Sharma hails from the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. He was born on 22nd October 1993, in Amrawati. He is currently 29 years old.
Which Ranji Trophy team does Jitesh Sharma play for?
Jitesh Sharma represents Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy. He made his Ranji Trophy debut in the 2015-16 season, scoring 180 runs at an average of 18. His List-A debut came after an impressive Cooch Behar trophy in the 2012-13 season.
Who is Jitesh Sharma? Five facts about the Punjab Kings keeper
- Picked by Mumbai Indians: Sharma’s first IPL paycheque was in 2016 when he was bought by Mumbai Indians at a base price of Rs. 10 Lakhs.
- Did not dream to become a cricketer: As hilarious as it would sound, Sharma gave cricket a shot to get more marks in the Class 10 board exams. “I never used to play cricket and I never dreamt of being a cricketer. I only played plastic-ball cricket. I played football until Class X. I only played cricket once I realized there were extra 4% marks for representing at the state level”, said Jitesh.
- A half-century on SMAT Debut: On his Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy debut, Jitesh played as an opener. He scored a blistering knock of 57 runs off just 28 balls. Facing the likes of RP Singh, Piyush Chawla, and Kuldeep Yadav, Jitesh had proved that he was destined for bigger milestones.
- Introvert: Jitesh is an introvert by nature, in his own words. “I do not talk much in the dressing room and I learn by observing. I like to watch the television in my hotel room all day,” said Jitesh in an interview.
- Idolises Gilchrist: To the surprise of many, Jitesh Sharma’s favorite wicket-keeper is not Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He has revealed that he idolizes Australian veteran Adam Gilchrist.
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