Jitesh Sharma on why “instinctive thinking” is key for a modern T20 finisher
Jitesh Sharma was highly sought after by RCB at the IPL 2025 Mega Auction, and the explosive wicket-keeper batter justified the hype with a superb season.
Smashing 261 runs at a blistering strike rate of 176.35, including a jaw-dropping 33-ball 85* against LSG to earn RCB a spot in Qualifier 1, Jitesh etched his name into the franchise’s folklore.
However, a job of being a finisher in T20 is one that’s easier said than done. The pressure of delivering as per expectations is one that can bog down the best names in the business, but Jitesh opined that flexibility is key for a finisher to succeed, a mindset that helped RCB’s lower order thrive.
Speaking on an episode of Big Basket presents RCB Podcast, Jitesh said, “Batters from No.1 to No.3 have basic plans with them. Because they know they are going to face 120 balls, but we don’t know how many balls we will face, what situations we may face.”
He added, “In the last game (PBKS v RCB), they were thinking if they should send Tim or me, and they were sure I should go. If a wicket fell early, there was a discussion if KP (Krunal Pandya) should go or I should go or Tim should, that happens always, we are used to it. We’ve played so much cricket, I myself am a captain. If a wicket falls early, KP can go or I can go. If a spinner is bowling, Jitesh Sharma can face him. Rather than sending Liam (Livingstone), Jitesh will go, so we are very used to it. The match starts for me when I put my feet across the rope.”
On the topic of matchups, Jitesh explained how he thinks they’re a thing of the past, and modern day batters are adept at coming up tops against what was once considered their achilles heel.
He said, “Nowadays you can see Rajat Patidar hits the best sixes to a left-arm spinner. Nicholas Pooran hits an off-spinner for three sixes in an over, that theory was there earlier and batters would think that way but now it has totally changed, anyone can hit.”
Jitesh concluded by talking about how a finisher’s role has evolved, “Earlier people would be scared to hit a sweep off Jasprit Bumrah, now they are playing a reverse sweep. Everything has changed now, the left-right combination doesn’t matter. But yes, there is an extra responsibility on the likes of Tim David and myself that when there is a team collapse or something else, we have to change our planning instinctively.”
