Jitesh Sharma has been given the role of a finisher with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and also with the Punjab Kings previously. He says he is relishing the opportunity and feels that the cameos are worth the half centuries.
Jitesh Sharma knows the values of quick-firing knocks as is relishing his role as a finisher in the Indian Premier League. From being an opener, Jitesh has been playing in the middle-order and has been bestowed the opportunity to finish the games for his teams.
“Now everyone seems to be a finisher. But it’s a difficult job to bat at No 6, No 7 because ever since I started finishing, I haven’t scored a fifty. I was an opener. Earlier I used to score fifties and centuries,” Jitesh said in the latest episode of RCB Bold Diaries.
He said that he enjoyed reaching milestones, but now the quick cameos are important things. “I used to enjoy raising my bat when I reached a milestone. But ever since I became a finisher, I have never got a chance to make a fifty. (It has mostly been)10 balls, 30 runs. 20 balls, 40 runs.
“These scores have become 50 for us. If you do 60–70 in 30 balls, it’s like a 100. And I am happy, very happy doing it, if the team wins,” he added.
Jitesh added that the wicketkeeping role offers him more advantage to read the conditions and the pitch. “Your mind definitely gets tired. The advantage is that you can control the game from there. You get an idea about what your team’s bowlers can do on a wicket. You can read other big batters; that’s also an advantage.
“When a new batsman takes four to six balls, he understands the wicket. I understand that in two balls, because I’ve kept the wicket before. I stay involved for 240 balls. That’s the fun of cricket for me,” he said.
Meanwhile, the RCB mentor Dinesh Karthik also praised the youngster. He is always hungry to learn. He’s like, ‘What can I do?’ He calls me Anna. Those conversations have been very positive. He is at that stage where he’s willing to try anything I say. So it’s very fun like that. If I work with him for a year or two, I feel that I can touch the limits (with Jitesh),” he added.