Reinventing yourself in cricket takes courage and smart thinking. Jitesh Sharma transformed his game completely over the years. He started as an opening batter for Vidarbha initially. Now he finishes matches from the lower order brilliantly. His journey proves that adaptability wins in modern cricket.
Jitesh Sharma: The Finishing Specialist
Jitesh Sharma signed his first IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians in 2016. That early opportunity didn’t work out as he’d hoped. He went back to domestic cricket and reinvented himself. The transformation from opener to finisher changed everything completely.
Punjab Kings noticed his new approach during the 2022 auctions. They signed him for just ₹20 lakhs back then. He grabbed that chance with both hands immediately. His explosive finishing earned him an India call-up eventually.
Wicket-keeping adds tremendous value to his overall package. Teams love players who contribute in multiple ways. He keeps tidily behind the stumps while smashing runs.
His IPL Price Explosion
The IPL 2025 mega auction changed his life dramatically. RCB bid aggressively for his services. They finally secured him for ₹11 crore total. This massive IPL salary shocked many experts watching the auction.
From 20 lakhs to 11 crores represents incredible financial growth. Such jumps happen when players prove themselves consistently everywhere. The IPL price reflects both his finishing skills and keeping. RCB retained him for 2026 at that same amount.
Quality finishers cost a high price in modern T20 cricket. Jitesh earned every rupee through consistent match-winning cameos.
His IPL Team Journey
Jitesh Sharma played for Punjab Kings before joining RCB. His breakthrough season came in 2022 with them initially. They gave him opportunities to showcase his finishing abilities. Those performances convinced bigger franchises to notice him seriously.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru became his new IPL team in 2025. The franchise won its first championship that same season. He contributed 261 runs across 15 matches played there. His strike rate touched 176.35 which seems phenomenal always.
His highest score of 85 not out came last season. That knock showcased his power-hitting capabilities perfectly well. His IPL team trusts him completely in pressure situations.
Career Stats and Impact
Jitesh Sharma has played 55 IPL matches overall till now. Those games brought him 991 runs at an average of 25.41. His career strike rate reads 157.05 which excites franchises. One fifty sits beside his name so far officially.
Behind the stumps, he’s taken 44 catches already. 5 stumpings add to his wicket-keeping numbers too. Franchises value such complete players more than specialists nowadays. Expect more explosive knocks from him throughout 2026.
