Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has lauded wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, noting that he never showed desperation to break into the national team. Jitesh recently marked his return to the Indian squad after playing a vital role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) victorious run in IPL 2025. Batting in the lower middle order, he repeatedly delivered impactful knocks, often steering his team to strong finishes.

Batting in the lower order, Jitesh played several crucial knocks for RCB, consistently providing strong finishes that helped secure victories. According to Karthik, the turning point in Jitesh’s mindset came after his successful stint with Punjab Kings. Once he realised he was on the fringes of India selection, a sense of urgency crept in, which, in Karthik’s view, affected his game.

“He was never desperate to play for India. He showcased fearless batting for the Punjab Kings, which ultimately led to his selection in the Indian team,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.

Karthik, now serving as RCB’s batting coach, also revealed that Jitesh was determined to improve his finishing skills. The experienced cricketer took it upon himself to guide Jitesh and help him realise his full potential.

“What he really wanted to improve was his ability to finish games and take the team past a competitive total. He often played short cameos without figuring out how to build a big innings that could win matches or set up a strong first-innings total. I had a sense of what it takes to do that. With the skills he possessed, there was so much potential. I just had to unlock it,” he added.

Under Karthik’s guidance, Jitesh excelled as a finisher, scoring 261 runs in 11 innings at an average of 37.28 and a strike rate of 176.35. His best score came against LSG, blasting 85* off 33 balls to chase 228 in 18.4 overs, sealing RCB’s top-two finish. He last played for India in January 2024 against Afghanistan.