Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selector Sunil Joshi defended wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma’s selection for Team India, citing his performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestic cricket. Jitesh is Punjab Kings' (PBKS) current second-leading runs-scorer in the ongoing IPL. The 29-year-old has amassed 239 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 165.97 and an average of 26.56.
While justifying his selection in Team India, Joshi, who serves as PBKS' spin bowling coach, stated that Jitesh has been outstanding. Joshi went on to say that the 29-year-old cricketer was ahead of several other Indian wicketkeepers and hence was picked.
"Jitesh has been wonderful. It shows his quality and one of the reasons he was picked in the Indian team in place of Sanju Samson. In the last 18 months how he has performed in domestic and IPL and that is the reason he is being ahead of some other wicketkeepers," Joshi said as quoted by the Hindustan Times.
"Jitesh was already in the team in the last T20 series. His role is to go out and express himself with the bat and enjoy, and he has been doing that for Punjab Kings," he added.
Jitesh has done well consistently in T20 format in the last two years of IPL: Joshi
While explaining why Jitesh is perfect for the T20 format, Joshi further stated that he has done well consistently in this format in the last two years of IPL. He went on to say that his performance was noticed by some intelligent people and selected him for Team India.
"Let's stick to the T20 format, he has done well consistently in this format in the last two years of IPL. That performance was recognised by the wise people who picked him for the Indian team," he added.
Jitesh Sharma registered his highest score of the ongoing season in PBKS' clash against five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI), which the former lost by six wickets in Mohali. The keeper-batter smashed an unbeaten knock of 49 runs off just 27 balls. His knock was studded with five fours and two sixes.
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