New Delhi, April 16: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s designated finisher Jitesh Sharma said batting down the order is a difficult task as he misses out on milestones for lack of enough time in the middle, something that has prompted him to treat scores in 30s or 40s at par with a fifty.
Jitesh has often strode out to bat at number six in the ongoing IPL and his most significant contribution thus far has been a 40 off 19 balls in RCB’s 12-run win over Mumbai Indians a few days back.“Now everyone seems to be a finisher. But it’s a difficult job to bat at No.6, No.7 because ever since I started finishing, I haven’t scored a fifty. I was an opener. Earlier, I used to score fifties and centuries,” Jitesh said in the latest episode of RCB Bold Diaries.However, the 31-year-old said he relishes a victory for the team more than a personal landmark.“I used to enjoy raising my bat when I reached a milestone. But ever since I became a finisher, I never got a chance to make a fifty. (It has mostly been) 10 balls, 30 runs. 20 balls, 40 runs.“These scores have become 50 for us. If you do 60-70 in 30 balls, it’s like a 100. And I am happy, very happy doing, if the team wins,” he added.
But Jitesh said being a wicketkeeper offers him certain advantages during a match such as an opportunity to study the pitch and opposition batters.
“Your mind definitely gets tired. The advantage is that you can control the game from there. You get an idea about what your team’s bowlers can do on a wicket. You can read other big batters; that’s also an advantage.“When a new batsman takes four to six balls, he understands the wicket. I understand that in two balls, because I’ve kept the wicket before. I stay involved for 240 balls. That’s the fun of cricket for me,” he said.Dinesh Karthik, the RCB mentor, also praised Jitesh for the work that he is putting into his game.
“He is always hungry to learn. He’s like, ‘What can I do?’ He calls me Anna. Those conversations have been very positive. He is at that stage where he’s willing to try anything I say.“So it’s very fun like that. If I work with him for a year or two, I feel that I can touch the limits (with Jitesh),” he added. (PTI)
