Jitesh Sharma likely to include in Asia Cup 2025 squad: Report

With multiple capable keeper-batters in contention, BCCI has to solve a serious puzzle: who will make the final cut ahead of the Asia Cup 2025?

In the recent past, multiple wicketkeeping options emerged in Indian cricket; some of them donned the blue jersey as well. Players like Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel, Ishan Kishan, and Jitesh Sharma were selected for international duties because of their promising runs in domestic cricket. In a squad, 4 or 5 keeper-batters do not sound quite natural. Depending on batting combinations and recent numbers, only one can join the first XI with a proper backup on the bench.

As per the recent report, Jitesh Sharma can join the Asia Cup 2025 squad. But he may not be considered as the number 1 keeper for the squad. According to reports, Sharma can be selected as a backup wicketkeeper in the squad. If Sharma remains on the bench, then the question remains, who will be the first-choice keeper for Team India for the Asia Cup 2025? Jitesh Sharma, after playing some matches for Team India, remains with a bunch of modest stats: 9 T20Is, 100 runs in total, and 14.28 as the average. He played his last T20I for India in January 2023.

Read More: 'Siraj has a workload too...'- Irfan Pathan heavily criticised Jasprit Bumrah's workload management issue

Jitesh looked promising 

In more than a year, the right-handed batter has become more mature. One of his finest innings came when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) was in deep trouble against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during an IPL 2025 match. In the 70th match of the season, LSG scored a mammoth 227 runs in the first innings. RCB, the team that later emerged as the IPL 2025 champion, was under pressure. 

Jitesh was the stand by captain of the game, came to the crease as the number 6 batter, and played a match-turning knock. Against 33 deliveries, he scored an unbeaten 85 with six 6s and eight 4s. RCB won the match by 6 wickets and 8 balls to spare. This match can hold a primary example of how the Maharashtra-born has upgraded himself over the last few years.