Jitesh Sharma on Virat Kohli: Respect, IPL Dreams, and an Asia Cup Call-Up

At the start of IPL 2025, Jitesh Sharma had set a vision for himself -- to hold the trophy with Virat Kohli on one side and Dinesh Karthik on the other. Months later, his dream came true. Sharing a photo on Instagram, he wrote: “Power of Manifestation – Holding the IPL Trophy with Virat bhai on the left and DK Anna on the right.”“When I joined RCB in March, the team asked me to manifest something. This was exactly what I wrote down, and I’m so happy it became reality,” he reflected.Even during the tournament, Virat Kohli had spoken about Jitesh’s introverted personality, saying it intrigued him. "One guy who is really funny but hasn't opened up with me is Jitesh. I would really want to see that fun, raw side of him. Because I can see it in his eyes that he has got that mischief about him," Kohli had said.For Jitesh, though, his small-town upbringing meant keeping a respectful distance."Again I come from a small town, where you give lots of respect to your seniors. You don't intrude in their personal space," he told TimesofIndia.com."Mere liye unse baat karni hi badi baat hai. Mai jaanta hun ki Virat bhai ka stature, toh mai koshish karta that ki kyu hi unke personal space mey jau, kyu pareshaan karu (For me, just talking to him is a big deal. I know Virat bhai’s stature, so I would try not to intrude on his personal space or bother him unnecessarily)."I used to talk to him about cricket only. Out of respect I maintained my distance. I only wanted to have a meaningful conversation with him," he added.Jitesh played a pivotal role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) title-winning season, but it was not the runs that caught the selectors’ eyes, it was his 176.35 strike rate while batting at 6 and 7. And now he has been rewarded with a place in India's 15-member squad for the Asia Cup.