Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s designated finisher Jitesh Sharma said batting down the order has redesigned the worth of his knocks, and he’s now treating scores of 30s or 40s as corresponding to a fifty. Jitesh has often strode out to bat at No 6 in IPL 2025 and his most vital contribution to this point has been a 40 off 19 balls in RCB’s 12-run win over Mumbai Indians just a few days back. “Now everyone appears to be a finisher. Nevertheless it’s a difficult job to bat at No 6, No 7 because ever since I began ending, I have not scored a fifty. I used to be an opener. Earlier I used to attain fifties and centuries,” Jitesh said in the newest episode of RCB Daring Diaries.
Nonetheless, the 31-year-old said he relishes a victory for the team greater than a private landmark.
“I used to enjoy raising my bat once I reached a milestone. But ever since I became a finisher, I never got a probability to make a fifty. (It has mostly been)10 balls, 30 runs. 20 balls, 40 runs.
“These scores have turn out to be 50 for us. Should you do 60–70 in 30 balls, it’s like a 100. And I’m blissful, very blissful doing, if the team wins,” he added.
But Jitesh said being a wicketkeeper offers him certain benefits during a match comparable to a chance to review the pitch and opposition batters.
“Your mind definitely gets drained. The advantage is that you may control the sport from there. You get an idea about what your team’s bowlers can do on a wicket. You may read other big batters; that is also a bonus.
“When a brand new batsman takes 4 to 6 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 is the fun of cricket for me,” he said.
Dinesh Karthik, the RCB mentor, also praised Jitesh for the work that he’s putting into his game.
“He’s all the time hungry to learn. He’s like, ‘What can I do?’ He calls me Anna. Those conversations have been very positive. He’s at that stage where he’s willing to try anything I say.
“So it’s totally fun like that. If I work with him for a 12 months or two, I feel that I can touch the boundaries (with Jitesh),” he added.
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