How Jitesh Sharma won back his India spot

‘He was never someone who was desperate to play for India’

‘And then he knew that he was on the fringes. That's when he became desperate. That kind of filtered into his performances’

For years, Jitesh Sharma was seen as a big-hitting cameo-maker who couldn’t quite finish games. In IPL 2025, he changed that narrative under Dinesh Karthik’s watch — and earned his way back into the Indian team.

Karthik said Jitesh’s turnaround stemmed from focusing less on desperation for an India spot and more on refining his finishing skills.

Jitesh, who earned a recall to the Indian team after powering RCB to their maiden IPL title, played a crucial role in the middle and lower order, delivering game-changing cameos and finishing innings with authority.

Reflecting on Jitesh’s journey, Karthik told Cricbuzz, “He was never someone who was desperate to play for India. And he was very free and he went about playing very confidently for Punjab Kings, and then made it to the Indian team. And then he knew that he was on the fringes. That's when he became desperate. That kind of filtered into his performances.”

Karthik, who transitioned seamlessly into his role as RCB’s batting coach after retiring, revealed that Jitesh was determined to sharpen his finishing skills. The wicketkeeper-batter often played quick cameos but lacked the know-how to stretch those into match-winning innings.

“What he wanted to work on was how do I finish a game? How do I get the team to above par? So he was playing a lot of cameos, never knowing how to get that big innings that was required to win a game or take the team far in the first innings. I kind of know what it takes to do that. With the skills he had, there was so much potential that I just needed to unlock it,” Karthik added.

The results spoke for themselves. Under Karthik’s mentorship, Jitesh flourished in his new role, scoring 261 runs in 11 innings and a blistering strike rate of 176.35.

His standout performance came against Lucknow Super Giants, where his breathtaking 85 off 33 balls guided RCB to a successful chase of 228 in just 18.4 overs — a defining moment in their run to the playoffs and eventual title.

Now back in India’s colours, Jitesh stands as a testament to patience, reinvention, and the right guidance at the right time.