NAGPUR: 400 sixes a day over 10 slots of 40 balls each were in Jitesh Sharma's must-haves list in the run-up to this IPL season. He had designed every alternative session that way. "I used to hit 30-40 sixes on the trot in one area without a drop in intensity. I did it for all the areas of the ground," said Jitesh.
After every mammoth 400-ball session, he would take a recovery break the following day. "The break made sure my intensity remains the same in the next session," said Punjab Kings' destructive batter.
Jitesh's gruelling nets have paid him rich dividends as he has taken everyone by storm in this IPL. Time and again this season, he came, smoked the balls out of the park and positioned himself as a perfect replacement for injured Rishabh Pant.
Jitesh's template of attacking from the ball-one has made him a sensation to look forward to and ripe enough to get into the national side. In his debut IPL season last year, Jitesh did wonders in the similar role.
There have been plenty of one-season stories in the IPL and Jitesh didn't want to be one of them. In order to prove that the last season was not beginner's luck, the stand-out wicketkeeper of the season opted for the toughest of practice patterns in a lead up to the IPL.
Such a spirited practice regime of almost 40 days fetched the Amravati-born Jitesh runs by the bulk at a sharp strike rate. He straightway created the buzz this season owing to his consistency in hitting impactful knocks. His 7-ball 25, including 4 sixes, followed by 27-ball 49 against Mumbai Indians turned many heads. In between, there were important 20s and 30s that changed the game. Even in the last league game on Friday, he made another 28-ball 44 against Rajasthan Royals after top-order collapse.
The 29-year-old aggressor, who was with the Indian team in the last T20 series before IPL, has been so consistent that legends like Virender Sehwag, Ravi Shastri, Anil Kumble and Sunil Joshi have openly batted for his inclusion in the Indian team. Though happy with the comments, he wants to keep going.
"As I am not much active on social media, I came to know about who is saying what through my friends. My focus was more on sticking to the process which I followed in domestic T20s and the last IPL. As T20 format is unpredictable, I take one game at a time with an extensive focus on making an impact no matter how many balls are left. I look to doing the same and let performance take care of the rest," said Jitesh, the third highest run-getter (309 runs) for Punjab this season. He also got 21 sixes under his belt, the highest for his franchise.
The Vidarbha wicketkeeper made his T20 domestic debut at the age of 20 in 2014 and is the only Vidarbha player so far to hit a T20 century in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2016. He has evolved immensely ever since. The stumper has more clarity and is a matured customer of the game now. Punjab's skipper Shikhar Dhawan used Jitesh, who has grown into a fine version of himself in the last 24 months, in the best way possible.
"The skipper told me that he knows it is difficult to bat at No.5-6 in T20s. I was asked to back myself and play shots with an awareness of situation. The skipper and the management backed me completely and it helped me in implementation of my skills," said Jitesh, who has the third best strike rate (156) for Punjab.
The third most successful wicketkeeper in this IPL after Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson, Jitesh feels that the presence of Wasim Jaffer, Punjab's batting coach, helped him a lot.
"I have spent enough time with Wasim bhai when he was playing for Vidarbha. He knows me well and knows how I would react after any situation. It means a lot to have someone like him in high-pressure tournaments," said Jitesh. The wicketkeeper also hailed the efforts of Punjab Kings' assistant coach Brad Haddin for his guidance in wicketkeeping.
