‘I was among the struggling batters’ – PBKS’ Jitesh Sharma opens up about the shift in his batting position

Punjab Kings wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma is pretty new to the middle-order, as the youngster is used to open the batting in the domestic circuit. He made his debut for Vidarbha in 2014 and opened the game until last year.

He has been consistent in the top-order and did not have much experience playing in the middle before he joined PBKS this season for the IPL 2022. He has transitioned from being an opener to coming down the order with the bat and anchoring the game.

In an exclusive interview with the Punjab Kings, Sharma revealed the change in his batting position and explained how the Nagpur pitch made him shift down the order. “Nagpur is a hot city. It would get exhausting to start the practice once the sun rose high, so we would start early, like 6 AM, during practice days. The early morning wicket would be different, it would swing a lot, and I was among the batters struggling to face those deliveries,” Sharma told.

Coach Pritam Gandhe asked me to go in later to get back my confidence: Sharma

He also explained how his coach played a role in changing his mind to enter late in the game as he said: “The coach saw me struggling and told me that since my performance was not very applaudable, I should try going in a little later and down the order. He asked me to go in later to get back my confidence. Once the sun comes up and dries up the wickets, it would be more acceptable for me to bat in. Batting lower, I would come out at 9 AM or 10 AM, and I clearly batted differently.”

Opening up about his conversation with his coach, he said: “He asked me if I had tried playing in the middle before. I said I’d never tried it, but I sure don’t mind doing so.” This change worked in Sharma’s favour as he performed well in the middle order during the 2021-2022 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as Vidarbha made its way into the semi-finals.

Because of his ability to finish the games down the order, he was placed in the PBKS middle-order to provide the crucial runs to his team in the end. He has carried his SMAT form into the IPL as he continues to play the big-shots for the Men in Red.