Jitesh Sharma shines in SMAT after bagging RCB contract
The ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) is providing domestic cricketers an opportunity to showcase their skills ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. In a recent match between Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh, several players made a mark with their performances. Vidarbha's captain and wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma was one of them as he produced an impressive cameo. Jitesh, who has a strike-rate of nearly 230 in the ongoing tournament, was recently picked by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for ₹11 crore.
Jitesh's explosive batting performance
Jitesh, who is known for his aggressive batting, scored a quickfire 38 runs off just 14 balls in the Vidarbha-Chhattisgarh match. His innings comprised of three fours and three sixes, at a remarkable strike-rate of 271.43. This performance comes after being bought by the Royal Challengers in this year's auction, further justifying his high price tag. Vidarbha scored 206/5 in 20 overs before winning by 16 runs.
Strike rate of nearly 230 in SMAT 2024/25
Jitesh, who bats in the middle order, has been playing some fine cameos of late. His scores in the ongoing SMAT read 27*(9), 29(20), 20(5), 10*(6), and 38(14). The wicketkeeper-batter has racked up 124 runs from five innings at an average of 41.33 in this year's tournament. He strike-rate reads 229.62. His tally includes 9 fours and 7 sixes.
Impressive stats in T20 cricket
Jitesh has had an impressive run in T20 cricket. Since his debut in 2014, he has amassed 2,576 runs from 124 T20s at an impressive strike-rate of 149.16. He has also played 40 IPL matches, all for Punjab Kings (PBKS), striking at 151.13. Jitesh's performances as a finisher handed him his T20I debut in 2023. He has played nine T20Is so far.
