Royal Challengers Bengaluru player Jitesh Sharma has opened up about how playing in the same team as Virat Kohli has helped him. The wicketkeeper-batsman was picked up by RCB for a price tag of Rs 11 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction. He has chipped in with 128 runs from 11 innings this season.
Recently, in an interview with Mayanti Langer for the RCB podcast, Jitesh opened up about the things he had picked up from Virat Kohli in the team.
“That person is full of energy. But he still knows how to play his game,” Jitesh told Langer.
“Virat Kohli also told me that there are some occasions when you have the feeling that this will not be your day while your going to play a match. Somehow you have to manage your energy that day… while batting if you feel you’re not hitting the ball well, just come to zero again. Think about running hard, middling the ball… these small tricks he has taught me…calm your nerve ..take a decision,” Jitesh said about Virat Kohli.
𝗝𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮: 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲, 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲
Jitesh talks about his cricket, mindset, equation with Rajat, discussions with Virat, and more on @bigbasket_com presents RCB Podcast Bold and Beyond. 🎬
Here’s a sneak peek. Full episode dropping soon… 🎙️… pic.twitter.com/aUZOCf7yae
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 21, 2025
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Sharma also added how Virat Kohli guided him to give his best while coming in at 5 or 6.
“People like you who come in the number of 5-6, they always think about hitting six. But with your intensity, you’re clear on how to attack. Think about shifting your focus. That’s the small things he’s told me,” he said.
He also admitted that playing in the IPL means needing to switch off his phone.
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“You won’t believe the amount of calls that I get. I switch off my phone for two days and there is a second number that only my wife and my family has where they can reach me. My childhood friends keep telling me, ‘Virat bhai se mila de (Make us meet Virat Kohli)’. I tell them that I have never clicked a photo with him, how will I get you one photo with him.”
