Cuttack, Dec 10: Jitesh Sharma, who has emerged as India’s preferred wicketkeeper-batter in T20 format with less than two months left for the World Cup, has played down his ‘competition’ with Sanju Samson in the squad, saying it only brings out his “A-game” to the fore, strengthening the side.
India once again preferred Jitesh over Sanju for the opening T20I of the five-match series against South Africa, a game the hosts won convincingly by 101 runs at Barabati Stadium on Tuesday.
“He (Sanju) is a great player. If you have to compete against him and play shoulder to shoulder, then I have to bring my A-game. I think we both are trying to play for India, not for other teams,” the 32-year-old said at the post-match interaction.
Sanju, who finished last year as India’s leading T20I run-getter with 436 runs including three centuries, had formed a formidable opening pairing with Abhishek Sharma.
But the return of Shubman Gill to the T20I top order has unsettled the batting line-up, pushing Sanju lower than his preferred opening position.
In the last three T20Is against Australia, the management leaned towards Jitesh, seeing him as a natural middle and lower-order option more suited to finishing games.
India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav had also said Gill “deserved” to return as opener, a comment widely read as another hint that Sanju’s role in the XI is uncertain under the current team plan.
But Jitesh played down the individual competition, choosing instead to emphasise camaraderie and shared ambition.
“I am very grateful that he is in the team and I’m under him… Frankly speaking, he is like an elder brother to me. I think because of healthy competition, your talent comes out. I think it’s good for the team also.
“There is so much talent in this Indian team. You can feel it that Sanju is out and I’m playing.
“We are like brothers. We share lots of experience with each other. He helps me a lot whenever I do keeping or batting.”
Jitesh contributed an unbeaten 10 off five balls in an unbroken 38-run partnership with Hardik Pandya as India plundered 71 runs in the final six overs to finish on 175/6.
Finishing act ‘bread and butter’
A reliable lower-order option since his debut at the Asian Games in 2023, Jitesh said he thrives in the finishing role — something he has repeatedly taken up in the IPL and recent bilateral series.
“After Australia, I didn’t have much of a break. I was there in Asia Cup. I’ve been doing the role of a finisher in the IPL for the last two-three series (years). That’s my bread and butter.
“In practice, I play with scenarios in mind and how I can be in the present and apply my skill and do whatever maximum I can.”
With head coach Gautam Gambhir and the management leaning strongly towards him as a long-term middle-order option heading into the World Cup, Jitesh said he has been handed absolute clarity on his role.
“For sure there is a role clarity that I will bat in the middle or lower down the order. Whatever opportunity I get, I will try to control it as much as I can.
“I have full clarity from the management as to what my role will be and what expectations I have. And I think I have the best clarity that I have got in all these years. I am enjoying that clarity right now with the team.”
On the mental grind of batting in the lower order, Jitesh said it’s a tough, often thankless, job.
“Yes, it is difficult. But by practicing day in day out, we can replicate it in practice and match. It’s a difficult job. It’s a thankless job, basically, finishing the game.
“But I enjoy that pressure. When I go there to bat and there’s a rush of hitting a first-ball six, I really enjoy that pressure and excitement.”
Hardik Pandya, returning from a quadriceps injury that sidelined him for over two months, stole the night with a blazing 59 not out off 28 and figures of 1/16 in two overs to earn the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
“He (Pandya) is the main player of our team. I think we don’t look after him that how he performs or what.
“He brings a lot of experience in the team, lots of talent. And when he is around, lots of boys feel confident. And it gives you lots of experience on the field because he is a World Cup champion player. And that bring a lot to the table for the juniors and all the players.”
On working with India’s mystery and wrist-spin options such as Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, Jitesh said that keeping is all about anticipation and simplicity.
“We know exactly because they are our teammates. So, I know how is his action.
“The more you practice with them, the more you understand as a wicketkeeper. That’s my role. I have to be one step forward from them. I have to think ahead of the game and what can they do? I have to think about it. What can be the next ball? What can’t be? I have to take that.
“So, that’s how I work. I think if you focus on the basic skills, keeping things very simple is the key in the wicket-keeping.” (PTI)
