Jitesh Sharma, a cricketer with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), was one of the season’s most impressive players and had a successful IPL 2025 campaign. When Jitesh looked back on his trip, he gave veteran Virat Kohli credit for his priceless mentoring, which was crucial to his development and consistency over the competition. He has won a spot in India’s 2025 Asia Cup squad thanks to his outstanding play.
With 261 runs in 11 innings with a scorching strike rate of 176.35 and an outstanding average of 37.28, Jitesh flourished in his role as a finisher. He scored an undefeated 85 to guarantee a spot in Qualifier 1 in RCB’s final league game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), which was his most noteworthy effort.
“He is teaching me from the very end. I was discussing with Virat how intense I was during the game and how he was able to… Having an aggressive mind is really challenging. I think it’s a job. Because you lack mental clarity when you act aggressively.
“They say you can make decisions when you’re calm,” Jitesh stated on the RCB Podcast.
“Virat, on the other hand, is a dynamic individual who still knows how to bat well. He will continue to run hard and take twos. We’re all like, “Next ball.” However, he will… He engages in the game. I was asking him to do that. How do you handle things? He talked about the benefits of his training. The match becomes simple for him because of his rigorous training,” he continued.
Jitesh also discussed a crucial lesson he learnt from Kohli regarding the mental aspect of the game. Setting modest, attainable goals during a game will help you stay focused and motivated, even if he acknowledged that not every day on the field goes as planned.
“Go back to zero. Consider running vigorously. Make an effort to centre your ball. The most crucial thing, he informed me, are these little tips he taught me. Between the two balls, take your time. You don’t get that much time, people say. But there’s time there, he said (between two balls). And you’re free to accept it. Therefore, I believe you can rest there,” Jitesh added.
“You can figure out a method to stop and reflect. to ease your anxiety. And consider the game before making a choice. Additionally, he stated, “I understand that people like you who come in at number five or six always consider hitting a six.”
Jitesh also expressed his respect for Kohli’s tenacity, particularly in his dashing between the wickets. He acknowledged that he would be ecstatic to run beside the great in the crease and that he feels comfortable running two or even three runs fast with him.
“He (Virat) will be pleased that I am someone who blindly trusts my spouse, as my teammates also say. I gaze at him if I’m not looking at the ball. I’ll shoot if his batting partner is running. Therefore, I believe he will like running beside me,” Jitesh remarked.
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