Bengaluru: Cricket wasn’t the dream. Not even a fleeting thought. For Jitesh Sharma, the plan was set — join the NDA, serve in the Air Force, wear a different kind of uniform. But fate, as it often does in sport, had other ideas.
“I was in 10th standard. I wanted to go for NDA. One day, a friend said, ‘Let’s do a cricket trial. We’ll get 4 percent extra marks,’” Jitesh recalls with a smile. At that moment, cricket was just a means to an academic end. But when he noticed ‘wicketkeeper’ had the fewest names on the registration list, Jitesh — along with two friends — casually chose it. And unknowingly, chose a future.
Today, Jitesh Sharma stands tall not just as a dependable wicketkeeper-batsman, but as a beacon of belief for his hometown of Amravati. “I think I am the first boy who played for India from Amravati,” he says. “So when I go back, I give that same belief to others — if I can do it, anyone can.”
His rise through the ranks brought him to Royal Challengers Bangalore, a franchise with one of the most passionate fanbases in the country. “When I went to play in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, people were shouting for RCB. That’s when I realized it’s not a small thing that I’ve joined RCB,” he says, surprised by the sea of fans queuing up for his autograph.
But it’s the role of the finisher where Jitesh has truly found his niche — even if it came at the cost of personal milestones. “Earlier, I was an opener. I used to score fifties and centuries. Now as a finisher, I haven’t scored a fifty. But 10 balls, 30 runs. 20 balls, 40 runs — that’s become our 50. And I’m happy, if the team wins.”
That humility and team-first attitude haven’t gone unnoticed. Especially not by Dinesh Karthik, who has been mentoring Jitesh with admiration. “He’s always hungry to learn. He calls me ‘Anna.’ He tries everything I suggest. If it works, great. If not, he comes back honestly and says, ‘Tell me something else.’ If I work with him for a year or two, I feel like I can touch the limits with him,” Karthik says.
As a wicketkeeper, Jitesh finds a different thrill in reading the game from behind the stumps. “The biggest advantage of keeping is that you don’t run, so your energy is saved — but your mind gets tired. You get to read the pitch, the bowlers, the batters. I stay involved for 240 balls. That’s the fun of cricket for me.”
In every sense, Jitesh Sharma is redefining what it means to rise — with no blueprint, no plan, just raw hunger, resilience, and the guidance of a mentor who saw the spark. From NDA dreams to donning the Indian jersey, his journey is a story of how chance, choice, and a little belief can change everything.
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