In a year unlike any other for RCB, Jitesh has now played perhaps their most sparkling innings of the year, smashing an unbeaten 85 off just 33 balls
Sidharth Monga28-May-20252:04
Moody: Jitesh’s 85* the innings of this season
Once the euphoria settles, Jitesh Sharma will perhaps tell himself good things happen if you keep putting in the good work. Something he might have doubted before this game.Jitesh is not your typical Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) player. He is not a superstar, he doesn’t speak English, he didn’t even have a single IPL fifty when brought to RCB. Then again, this is not your typical RCB season. They named a non-superstar captain, Rajat Patidar, and threw their weight behind him. At the auction, they took Jitesh’s price to INR 11 crore from the base price of just a crore. Then they made Jitesh the vice-captain.After the break in the IPL, it has been a bit of a dogfight. Teams have scrambled for player availability, and RCB have had the added headache of injuries to their available players, including Tim David, upon resumption. In a way, the break only helped RCB, letting Patidar heal enough to play even if as just a batter. Josh Hazlewood could be available again. Only because we are still playing the IPL.Related
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Still it just seemed things were happening too quickly. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), RCB had a chance to seal a top-two spot. Their chase got off to a great start, but Patidar and Jitesh were part of a demoralising collapse.Then Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) handed them a lifeline by beating Gujarat Titans (GT). Another shot at the top two. Then came another big chase. Another excellent start. Another collapse. Here we go again. Jitesh in the spotlight again. Headlines about “top-heavy RCB” getting ready again.In the last match, Jitesh was involved in the run-out of Patidar that started their collapse of 7 for 16. Jitesh himself mis-hit a slot ball from Jaydev Unadkat. In Lucknow on Tuesday, though, luck turned for Jitesh. He hit the ball sweetly, but when he was about to be run-out because he was ball-watching and not looking at the non-striker, Will O’Rourke fumbled the take.Mayank Agarwal (R) congratulates Jitesh Sharma•BCCIThat was the one moment when he forgot his own survival kit. “I was only trying to stay in the moment, keep breathing and focusing on the ball,” Jitesh said later. Or perhaps he was focusing too hard. Looking too intently at the ball.The hitting was clean. In no time, he was on 49, and the two-run-a-ball chase had turned into 39 off 24. Had he got out there, RCB would likely have still won with two recognised batters still to follow, but Jitesh wouldn’t have got rid of this enormous weight on his shoulders. This night, though, was meant to be. Caught on 49, he was reprieved by the no-ball. Distraught one moment, he was swinging himself off his feet to slog the free hit into the stands and bring up his maiden IPL fifty. You could almost see the weight being lifted.”I was getting cramps because the whole load was on me because this is such a big franchise,” Jitesh said. “But I am enjoying the pressure. I have Virat [Kohli] with me, Krunal [Pandya] with me, Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] with me. When I look at them, I feel pressure. And also excitement that I am playing with these people. Then I enjoy that pressure.”2:31
An 18-year wait to end this season?
In a year unlike any other for RCB, Jitesh has now played perhaps their most sparkling innings of the year. This is sweet payoff for putting their faith in unheralded but promising players. And backing them knowing they haven’t necessarily got time in the middle because their top order has been scoring a majority of the runs.Jitesh himself now sits with elite lower-middle order players. His 85 not out off just 33 balls is the third-highest IPL score from No. 6 or lower. Above him are Hardik Pandya and Andre Russell. Below him are MS Dhoni and his “guru, mentor, Dinesh Karthik “. This is the highest score from No. 6 or below in a successful chase. That’s T20. You do all the range hitting, all the fitness work, get limited chances to bat, and then one day, in 33 balls, you are among the legends of the game.”I won’t be able to express my thoughts,” Jitesh said. “Really, I can’t believe such an innings has come.”The choice of words there is instructive. He didn’t say he couldn’t believe he had played such an innings. He said he couldn’t believe such an innings “has come”. That you always keep trying, but it “comes” only rarely. Especially if you bat where Jitesh does. Then again they do come if you keep putting in the work.
