Jitesh Sharma Virat Kohli for RCB. Image Credits: X
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma recently made a surprising statement about his own team’s top order including Virat Kohli in the IPL. Notably, his comments left many fans shocked.
During an interview with former South African cricketer AB de Villiers on the show AB de Villiers 360, Jitesh openly said that he sometimes hopes the top-order batters fail.
Jitesh Sharma hopes RCB top order slips
He said, “ You won’t believe it, but I always pray to God, let my top order fail so I can walk out. I see a chance to be the hero. I always dream of such knocks, and I’m the type of person who always wants to pull off something magical. ”
Although he did not directly name anyone, it was clear that he was referring to RCB’s main batters like Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, and Rajat Patidar. In simple terms, Jitesh wants a chance to step in during a crisis and win matches for his team.
It is important to note that Jitesh Sharma delivered an impressive IPL 2025 season. He scored 261 runs in 11 innings, maintaining an average of 37.28. Moreover, he played at a very fast strike rate of 176.35, which shows his aggressive batting approach.
One of his most memorable performances came in RCB’s league match against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. In that game, Jitesh was leading the side as stand-in captain. When RCB needed something special, he delivered the innings of his life. He smashed an unbeaten 85 runs off just 33 balls.
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As a result, RCB successfully chased down a huge target of 228 runs. Notably, this became the highest successful run chase in the franchise’s history. Therefore, that game turned out to be a key moment in their season, as RCB also secured a place in the top two of the points table.
RCB’s road to the IPL title
Following that important victory, RCB continued their strong performance in the playoffs. First, they defeated the Punjab Kings by eight wickets in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur. Then, they once again beat the same team in the final. Consequently, RCB lifted the IPL trophy and completed a dream season.
Jitesh Sharma’s fearless batting and confidence played a major role in the team’s success. His ability to handle pressure situations made him one of the standout players of the tournament.
Jitesh Sharma retained by RCB
After his excellent performances, Jitesh was retained by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the IPL 2026 season. Earlier, he had been bought for ₹11 crore in the 2025 auction. He was also included among the 17 players retained by the franchise, which shows the team’s trust in him.
On the international front, Jitesh was last seen playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT 2025-26) in early January. Previously, he had been left out of the New Zealand T20I series and India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad.
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