Batting in the IPL is a waiting game: Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma has been a common name in Vidarbha for a while but has emerged as an exceptional finisher for the Punjab Kings in the latest IPL season. Cricket pundits have showered praise on the wicket-keeper batsman for his lightning-quick antics behind the wicket and how he has consistently finished games for his IPL franchise. 

A player who had disappeared from the domestic circuit for two years even after displaying consistent performances made it back into the limelight; if you’re one of the people wondering how we have some good news for you. 

In an exclusive interview with OneCricket, Jitesh Sharma talks about his climb up the hill, sacrifices and the IPL season he’s had. 

Q. How much do you focus on the fine technicalities of batting?

J: Considering the stage I’m at in my career and my age, I may not have the time to focus on the minute technicalities; instead, I spend my time thinking about tactics. I try to focus on producing outcomes through the techniques I’ve already built.

Q. Is there anything that you’ve changed in your technical game?

J: Not as such; my mindset is the only thing I’ve worked on. 

Q. As a youngster, if you’re going through a rough patch, do you suggest they tweak or change their technique?

J: No, not at all. I suggest they go back to the basics and work on them. If you’re good at that, you’ll be good at the game.

Q. Is there a difference in your approach when you go out to bat in the IPL as compared to domestic games?

J: Yes, because in domestic, you go in knowing that you’re going to get a few loose balls, and you can take advantage of that, but when you play in the IPL, the margin of error reduces considerably; you do not get as many loose balls, you need to be alert and on top of your game. Batting in the IPL is a waiting game.

Q. Do you see yourself fulfilling the role of a finisher in white-ball cricket for team India?

J: I usually don’t think that far ahead in the future. I focus on the game on hand. So if I come upon an opportunity to finish a game, I only think about how I will do that, be it for India or my state team.

Q. How was the transition from Mumbai Indians to Punjab Kings?

J: When MI picked me, I was one of the top run-getters in Syed Mushtaq Ali, and that’s why I was picked, but MI had three other wicket-keepers, namely Jos Buttler, Parthiv Patel and Nicholas Puran, so I knew my chances of getting a debut were rare. And I used to bat at the top order, which made them even slim. But I grabbed the opportunity well, gained wisdom from the seniors in the team and made sure I applied it well in the next SMA Trophy. So I explored my game and came in as a middle-order batsman this IPL. It was a good jump because I learnt a lot.

Q. Will you return to the Ranji dressing room as a changed player?

J: Of course, I will play more mature innings and produce more match-winning performances for my state. 

Q. What was it like playing under Mayank Agarwal and Anil Kumble? They’re both pretty contrasting personalities.

J: Mayank and I got along pretty well because we’re quite similar on the field; we love to bring the energy. “Your attitude, energy and intent should always be positive” is something he always says, and I love that about him. His energy is always aggressive on the field, while Anil sir is calm and takes well-thought decisions, and I’ve learnt a lot from him.

Q. Your innings against MI was one of the cleanest finishes we’ve ever seen. Was it as easy as it looked?

J: No, it wasn’t easy, but you can call it well planned. The staff and management had planned everything, and I just executed it. I made sure that I executed the plans that had been made.

These are one of the many topics that the wicket-keeper batsman touched on. This is not the last time Jitesh Sharma features with OneCricket. Stay tuned and in touch for the exclusive video featured on OneCricket’s official youtube channel.