One of the highest-paid players of the IPL 2025 Auction Jitesh Sharma, shared his excitement to join the most celebrated franchise of Indian Premier League, Royal Challengers Bangalore. The wicket-keeper batter shared his zeal to play with the global icon Virat Kohli and how this huge bid motivates him to perform his best for RCB
Jitesh Sharma is Elated to Join the Royal Challengers
Royal Challengers Banglore (RCB) secured Jitesh Sharma’s service for a hefty INR 11 crore. The Wicket-keeper batter became the most sought-after player in the incredible auctions. Despite being pursued by multiple franchises, including 5 times champions Chennai Super Kings, RCB outbids others. This marks Jitesh as one of the highest-paid players of the auction.
Reflecting on his emotions, Jitesh mentioned that he was not expecting a high bid and was simply hoping for an opportunity to play freely. “I wasn’t expecting anything from the auction, I was just hoping and praying to join a good team where I could play freely and express myself,” he shared. With multiple offers in hand, Jitesh’s journey culminated in a thrilling conclusion when RCB increased their bid from Rs 7 crore to Rs 11 crore after Punjab Kings exercised the Right to Match (RTM) card.
Jitesh reflected on his emotions and mentioned that he was not expecting that much high bid as he was only hoping for an opportunity to play freely “ I wasn’t expecting anything from the auction. It was just hoping and praying to join a good team where I could play freely and express myself. Iam incredibly grateful and thankful to God that I went to RCB- it feels like the perfect team for me,’’.
The Impact of Playing with Virat Kohli
For Jitesh, joining a team with a legendary figure like Virat Kohli is an exciting opportunity. The 31-year-old expressed his eagerness to learn from Kohli’s consistency, fitness, and approach to the game. “It will be great to play under Virat Kohli. He is so energetic and enthusiastic, which will push my limits,” Jitesh said. As a young player, he is inspired by Kohli’s leadership and his constant involvement in the game, aiming to improve his game further.
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Jitesh Sharma is excited to play with a legendary figure like Virat Kohli. The 31-year-old expressed his eagerness to learn from Kohli’s consistency, fitness, and approach to the game. “It will be great to play under Virat Kohli. I would love to play under him because he is so energetic and enthusiastic—it can push my limits. A person who is always involved in the game can inspire me to push my game further. think I’ll try to learn from Kohli’s consistency and how he has kept himself fit and motivated over all these years,” said the 31-year-old. Expressed Jitesh
Handling the Pressure of a High Price Tag
Despite being bought at a significant price, Jitesh Sharma remains unfazed by the pressure that usually accompanies such a big bid. He has mastered his pricy pressure tag. He shared with TOI that the high price tag motivates him to perform and prove RCB’s faith in him. “Whatever price is on my head, it does not matter to me. I just want to play cricket, that’s it. It doesn’t add any pressure; it gives me a challenge and a thrill. It has given me confidence more than pressure, knowing that I am worth ₹11 crore. The fact that RCB has shown faith in me makes me confident and excited to play,” he said.
“I am very excited to play in front of the fans because, right now, I am in Vizag, and I can see the loyalty and craziness of the fans towards RCB. When I go to bat, I see fans shouting, ‘RCB, RCB, RCB!’ I can feel their enthusiasm, madness, and loyalty towards RCB. It will be fun, and I am very excited and thrilled to play in front of them,” the Maharashtra-born batter added.
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