Jitesh Sharma throws open challenge to Jasprit Bumrah, will smash 20 Runs in IPL 2026
Published - 23 Mar 2026, 01:37 PM | Updated - 23 Mar 2026, 01:41 PM
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Ahead of the IPL 2026 season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Jitesh Sharma faced a delicate situation when he faced RCB legend AB de Villiers in an online discussion. AB de Villiers, a former South Africa and RCB player, set a stipulated situation in front of Sharma.
In the upcoming Indian Premier League season, Jitesh Sharma will take a crucial role behind the team's title defence. In the previous season, when the team from Bengaluru claimed their maiden IPL trophy, Jitesh Sharma emerged as one of the main catalysts. In the IPL 2026, when RCB tries to defend their title, fans will be hoping to see Sharma taking a crucial role.
What will Jitesh Sharma do if he goes against Jasprit Bumrah in the slog overs?
Like many emerging cricketers, Jitesh also loves to hit the ball hard. It is expected to see him in the finisher role, where he will have to score a significant amount of runs in a limited number of balls and maintain a healthy strike rate.
How will Jitesh Sharma score runs at a quick pace in a death over, if the bowler is the Mumbai Indians' (MI) pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah? AB de Villiers set the hurdle for the RCB keeper-batter.
Sharma wants to think ahead of Bumrah
Sharma stated that if he needs to go against Jasprit Bumrah, then he will try to prepare himself with a plan, assuming what the pacer can deliver for the next. To smash Bumrah, the batter will like to utilise the crease as much as possible.
"If Bumrah is bowling, I know that he mostly relies on his bouncer and he's a very smart bowler. He can bluff you all the time. I think playing with the field, I think it will be the best option. And be ready for two balls. Not just focusing on one ball. That is going to the Yorker. With him playing with the field, using your crease will be the key for me at that moment," Jitesh Sharma said.
The RCB batter said what he would do if Bumrah delivers a yorker
"Whenever the discussions are around Bumrah, batters will have to think about the toe-breaking yorkers. Sharma also mentioned that. To counter a yorker, which could be on the off stump, the batter thinks to hoist it over the square leg or fine leg."
"First ball, I think he will go his best ball. So, I might be ready for Yorker. If the square leg is up, I might think about creating, showing him my leg stomp, and going over the square leg or fine leg. That's what I thought at that time," the RCB star opined.
On the next ball, if the bowler pitched the ball near the yorker length, then what would he do? "So, I can be ready for that. I can think ahead of him. That's how I will keep thinking," Sharma replied quickly.
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