‘Take your time between two balls’ - RCB wicketkeeper reveals learnings from Virat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricketer Jitesh Sharma enjoyed a title-winning campaign in the IPL 2025, emerging as one of the standout performers of the season. Reflecting on his journey, Jitesh credited veteran Virat Kohli for his invaluable mentorship, which played a key role in his growth and consistency throughout the tournament. His stellar form has earned him a well-deserved place in India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025.

Jitesh excelled in his role as a finisher, amassing 261 runs in 11 innings at a blistering strike rate of 176.35 and an impressive average of 37.28. His most notable performance came in RCB’s final league match against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), where he scored an unbeaten 85 to secure a spot in Qualifier 1.

"I am learning from him from the far end. I was talking (to Virat) about my intensity in the game, how he managed to... It is very difficult to run your mind with aggression. It is a job, I feel. Because when you are aggressive, you are not clear in your mind. People say, when you are calm, you can take the decisions,” said Jitesh on RCB Podcast.

"But that person (Virat), he is full of energy, and still he knows how to play his game while batting. He will keep running hard, take twos. We people are like...Next ball... But he will... He plays the game. That is what I was asking to him. How do you manage? He said how his training has helped him. The training he does, the intense training he does, the match becomes easy for him," he added.

Jitesh also reflected on the mental side of the game, sharing a valuable lesson he picked up from Kohli. He acknowledged that not every day on the field goes your way, but setting small, achievable goals during a match can help maintain focus and energy.

"Come to zero again. Try to think about running hard. Try to middle your ball. These small tricks he has taught me, told me, are the most important thing. Take your time between the two balls. People say, you do not get that much time. But he said, there is time there (between two balls). And you can take it. So, I think, you can take a breather there,” said Jitesh.

“You can find a way to take a pause and think. To calm your nerves. And think about the game and to take a decision. And he said that, I know, I can understand that people like you, who come in the number five or six, they always think about hitting a 6," he added.

Jitesh also spoke about his admiration for Kohli’s intensity, especially when it comes to running between the wickets. He admitted that he would be thrilled to share the crease with the legend, adding that he feels confident running two or even three runs quickly alongside him.

"He (Virat) will be happy that I am someone who, my teammates also say, that I blindly trust my partner. If I do not look at the ball, I look at him. If he (his batting partner) is running, I will shoot. So, I think he will love running with me," Jitesh said.