Jitesh Sharma – PBKS wicketkeeper-batter who has impressed on IPL debut

Jitesh Sharma was one of the surprise packages who impressed straightaway on his IPL debut for the Punjab Kings. The left-hander came into the line-up at the expense of Raj Bawa and played a fine knock of 27 off 20 deliveries against the Chennai Super Kings. The wicketkeeper-batter, coming in at No. 5, had the license to go after the bowling straightaway.

Jitesh played some outstanding shots in his short stay at the crease and the three sixes that the hit portrayed the amount of confidence he had in himself despite being on his debut. To add to that, he picked up two catches as well behind the stumps. It will be interesting to see if he holds onto his position once Jonny Bairstow gets back in the XI.

The 28-year-old played for Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy in the 2015-16 season and eventually ended up getting picked in IPL 2016 for INR 10 lakh by the Mumbai Indians on the back of a strong Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy performance. He was benched throughout the IPL season and did not have the best of starts to his Ranji Trophy career.

However, his List A numbers have been really good. He has 1266 runs in 41 games at an average of 34.21 and has also hit two centuries and seven half-centuries. He has a strike rate of 142 in T20s and an average of 28 and certainly has got all the qualities to excel in the shorter formats.

He could not have got a better time to make a mark with ten teams competing in this edition and he is expected to get a longer rope with the Punjab Kings this season, with not too many Indian batters in their contingent.