The Indian wicket-keeper batter, Jitesh Sharma, has revealed that he was shocked by his omission from the 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. It happened just a day after being in the T20I side at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad during the series against South Africa in December. 

Jitesh has earned only 162 runs in 12 innings of the shortest format at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 151.40, with the best score of 35. However, he was in excellent touch during the IPL 2025 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for his 261 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 176.35.

See Also: Watch: “I probably don’t…”- Ash Gardner admits weakness against Harmanpreet Kaur in WPL 2026

“I wasn’t aware of my omission until the squad was announced. After that, I agreed with the explanation given by the selectors in the press conference; it was a valid reason. Later, I had discussions with the coaches and selectors, and I felt their reasoning was fair. I completely understood what they wanted to explain to me, and I agreed with it.” Jitesh expressed in an interaction on CricTracker.

Jitesh Sharma opens up on T20 World Cup 2026 snub

Jitesh made his comeback to the T20I side in September last year as they began their campaign for the World Cup with the Asia Cup 2025 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He soon overtook Sanju Samson after his indifferent form in the middle order during the Australia trip.

“It was heartbreaking, as I had worked very hard to play in the ICC T20 World Cup. But that’s destiny, I can’t deny it. At that moment, I was numb and couldn’t process anything. Spending time with my family and talking to Dinesh Karthik helped me move forward.” Jitesh explained.

Jitesh hopes to get a full run after the T20 World Cup 2026 and get ready for the next edition in England. He has the power and skill in the lower order, but it will be massively important for him to get consistency in his performance.

Jitesh Sharma was one of the notable players left out of India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The wicketkeeper-batter was not selected for the tournament or for the five-match T20I home series against New Zealand.

The decision surprised many fans, as Jitesh was India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against South Africa and had done well.

Apart from Jitesh, Shubman Gill was also dropped from the squad for the ICC event. While both players missed out, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan and batter Rinku Singh made their return to the T20I team.

Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead India at the 2026 T20 World Cup, with all-rounder Axar Patel named as his deputy. India will begin their campaign against the United States of America (USA) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7.

Also Read -Watch: Gautam Gambhir avoids questions on Shubman Gill’s exclusion from India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad at Delhi airport

Here, we look at three reasons why dropping Jitesh Sharma from the 2026 T20 World Cup squad could be seen as a wrong decision by India.

1. Jitesh Sharma’s Impressive Record as a Finisher

Jitesh Sharma has done a good job in the death overs for RCB in the Indian Premier League. He played an important role in their title-winning campaign earlier this year, scoring 261 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 176.35.

The right-handed batter has also performed well in international cricket. He has scored 162 runs in 12 T20I innings at a strike rate of 151.40. Jitesh’s ability to attack from the very first ball makes him one of the best finishers in the country. He would have been a valuable player, especially with the 2026 T20 World Cup set to be played in India and Sri Lanka.

2. Rinku Singh Lacked Form in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025–26

With Jitesh Sharma left out of the squad, Rinku Singh became the leading option for the finisher’s role. However, the left-handed batter did not look in good form in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025–26.

The Uttar Pradesh batter scored 172 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 135.43. He also failed to meet expectations in IPL 2025. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter made 206 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 153.73 and did not feature in the home series against South Africa.

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3. Jitesh Sharma’s 360-Degree Shot Play

Jitesh Sharma is known for playing attacking shots in all areas of the ground. From switch hits to creative scoops, he has a wide range of shots.

This skill would have been useful in the final overs to beat the field. He has shown his ability to play such shots in the IPL. Jitesh proved his quality with a match-winning knock against Lucknow Supergiants in the final league match. His unbeaten 85 off just 35 balls helped RCB chase a big target of 228 runs in 18.4 overs with six wickets remaining.

Arshdeep Singh had a very tough day in the second T20I against South Africa, but he has not lost his sense of humor. After the match, the Indian pacer shared a Snapchat story where he made fun of himself for conceding seven wides during his spell.

The match was played at Arshdeep’s home ground in Mullanpur, Chandigarh, and it turned out to be one of his worst performances. He bowled the 11th over of South Africa’s innings and struggled badly with his control, taking a long time to complete the over.

Arshdeep ended up bowling a 13-ball over after conceding seven wides. His loose bowling even made head coach Gautam Gambhir visibly angry, as he was seen shouting from the dugout. India later lost the match by 51 runs, but Arshdeep chose to accept his mistake and move on positively.

Arshdeep Laughs at Himself After Costly Spell

In his Snapchat story, Arshdeep asked teammate Jitesh Sharma to stretch his arms and make the wide signal. When Jitesh did it without realizing why, Arshdeep smiled, clearly laughing at his own error from the match. The moment showed that he is ready to take responsibility instead of hiding from criticism.

See Also: 'Your Primary Role Is to Score...' – Former Indian cricketer slams Suryakumar Yadav’s poor form ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

On the field, it was a rare off day for the left-arm pacer. He gave away 54 runs in his four overs without taking a wicket, as South Africa posted a big total of 213 runs. India were then bowled out for 162, resulting in a heavy defeat that left the five-match series level at 1-1.

The third T20I will be played on Sunday, December 14, at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. Arshdeep is now under pressure, with Harshit Rana available as an option. However, backing Arshdeep could still be the right move, as he is India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is with 107 wickets and adds balance to the bowling attack with his left-arm angle.

After the India vs South Africa 2nd T20I match in New Chandigarh, Jitesh Sharma touched an Indian women's cricketer's feet. The act from Sharma is widely appreciated by the cricket fans across social media platforms.

Last night (December 11), India faced South Africa for the second T20I of the ongoing 5-match series. After claiming an empathic win in the first match, India was the favourite to win the second as well. Because of poor batting display, the home team suffered a defeat by a 51-run margin.

India chose to field first after winning the toss. Star Indian pacers Arshdeep Singh and Jaspreet Bumrah proved very expensive throughout the first innings. Both the pacers remained wicketless in the game and leaked a significant amount of runs.

Read More: Top 5 uncapped Indians who can raise bidding war in upcoming IPL 2026 auction

Watch the moment when Jitesh Sharma touches Harleen Deol's feet

Jitesh Sharma touched the feet of Harleen Deol 🙏 pic.twitter.com/89NXxFHqL1

— VIKAS (@Vikas662005) December 12, 2025

Experienced opener Quinton de Kock was in brilliant form, scoring 90 off 46 with five 4s and seven 6s. During the closing moment of the first innings, explosive knocks from Donovan Ferreira and David Miller secured a total of 213 runs on the scoreboard in exchange for only 4 wickets.

In reply, India could get only 162 runs against all of their ten scalps. South Africa won the match by 51 runs, which levels the series 1-1. Jitesh Sharma, in the match, scored 27 runs against 17 deliveries with a couple of boundaries and a couple of over-boundaries. Rather than his batting, it was his act after the match which caught cricket fans' attention. He touched Indian women's team cricketer Harleen Deol's feet. Deol was a part of the Women's World Cup-winning Indian women's cricket team and is known for attacking the bat as a top-order batter.

India was unable to repeat their batting heroics from the opening T20I of the five-match series against South Africa at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. In the massive chase of 214 runs, the hosts fell short by 51 runs; by getting bowled out for 162 runs in 19.1 overs, as Tilak Varma’s 62 runs remains the only shining light of the second innings.

Jitesh Sharma, the wicket-keeper of the Indian side, had already shown a special stumping to dismiss the opening batter of the Protea side, Quinton de Kock, for 90 runs to break the momentum of the Protea side. Later, he survived a freak moment with the bat in the middle.

See Also: Shubman Gill falls for Golden Duck as poor form continues in IND vs SA 2nd T20I

On the second ball of the 16th over, Ottneil Baartman produced a hard length delivery to Jitesh, who hacked across the line and missed the ball. But the delivery kissed the bail as it lurked up and rolled for a meter before settling back into its groove as the entire SA side couldn’t believe their eyes.

Jitesh Sharma gets life as bail didn’t fall from stumps

On the very next delivery, the right-handed batter went deep in his crease and shoveled out the yorker on the leg stump by using the pace and scooped it over the long leg for a massive six. Two balls later, he threw his hands and slashed the ball towards the sweeper cover for a boundary.

Watch the video here: 

Wait What was that ?🤯
Ball hit the stumps but Jitesh Sharma is still not out !!🤓#INDvsSA #Jiteshsharma pic.twitter.com/C9zHPAuqmA

— PhysicsFanclub (@Physics_Fanclub) December 11, 2025

In the first innings, the Rainbow Nation posted 213/4 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to de Kock’s 90 runs. Later, Donovan Ferreira and David Miller posted an unbeaten fifth-wicket stand of 53 runs. The former clubbed 30 runs in just 16 balls at a strike rate of 187.50 with the help of one four and three sixes.

In the chase, only Tilak Varma was the shining light as the southpaw recorded 62 runs in just 34 balls at a strike rate of 182.35 with the help of two boundaries and five sixes. The series got squared off at a 1-1 margin with South Africa’s 51-run win.

India had an ominous time during the second T20I of the five-match series against South Africa at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, when they decided to bowl first, keeping the dew factor in mind for the second innings. But unlike the previous contest in Cuttack, the Proteas went off to a flying start. 

Quinton de Kock was the hero of the first innings for the visiting side, thanks to his splendid knock of 90 runs in 46 balls at a strike rate of 195.65 with the help of seven sixes and five boundaries. He looked set to celebrate his respective century and shoulder South Africa over the 200-run mark quite easily.

See Also: Watch: Yuvraj Singh meets Indian team during IND vs SA 2nd T20I in New Chandigarh

But that’s when wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma displayed a special show of stumping. On the first ball of the 16tb over, Varun Chakravarthy went with a flatter delivery outside the off stump as the southpaw got an under edge towards the keeper and stepped out for a moment out of the crease.

Jitesh Sharma’s special stumping dismisses Quinton de Kock

Jitesh Sharma was aware of the situation as he quickly grabbed the ball, though, and took the bails off in a flash. Meanwhile, the batter was yet to get back in his crease. It was a missed chance of a well-deserved century for the opening batter as he left the ground with a standing ovation from the crowd. It was his only fifty-plus score since his return to the T20Is.

Watch the video here: 

Smart glovework from #JiteshSharma ends Quinton de Kock’s knock, perfect timing to break South Africa's momentum. ⚡#INDvSA, 2nd T20I, LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/BI0R1pksPm pic.twitter.com/eHOkcQzYzR

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 11, 2025

Apart from de Kock, none of the South African batters found rhythm with the bat. Their captain, Aiden Markram, bagged a struggling knock of 29 runs in 26 balls at a strike rate of 111.54 with the help of two sixes and one four. Dewald Brevis, at number four, managed 14 runs in 10 balls.

Arshdeep Singh, the left-arm pacer of the Indian side, had a nightmare in the clash as he was smashed for runs around the park. Varun, meanwhile, was excellent for his figures of 2/29 in four overs.

Many predicted that Sanju Samson would have been opening the batting during the first of the five-match T20I series against South Africa at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. But the team management decided to go with Jitesh Sharma in the middle order and picked Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill in the opening slot, which meant Samson wasn’t part of the eleven.

Despite the toxicity between the two players on the social media discussions, Jitesh described his relationship with Sanju Samson as that of an elder brother, noting that the Kerala player shares his experience generously, which has helped him to grow as a player over the years.

See Also: Star player returns as Australia name 15-member squad for 3rd Ashes 2025/26 Test in Adelaide

“I am very grateful that he is on the team. Frankly speaking, he is like an elder brother.  Because of having healthy competition, your talent comes out. It’s good for the team, also. There is so much talent. You can feel it. Sanju bhaiya is a great player. I have to compete with him, that’s when I have to be at my best.” Jitesh Sharma said in the post-match press conference after the Cuttack T20I.

Jitesh Sharma admits to healthy competition with Sanju Samson ahead of IND vs SA 2nd T20I

Jitesh has smashed only 135 runs in 10 innings of T20I cricket at a strike rate of 150 with the best score of 35 for India, while in T20s, he has notched up 3136 runs in 140 innings at an average of 27.75 and a strike rate of 153.95, thanks to 12 fifties and one century at the best score of 106.

“We are both trying to play for India. We are like brothers. We share a lot of experience with each other. He helps me a lot. It’s a difficult job. It’s a thankless job, basically, finishing games. But I enjoy the pressure. When I go for the first six or five overs, I enjoy the pressure and excitement.” Jitesh addressed.

Jitesh may again now retain his place in the playing eleven for the second T20I in Mullanpur, while the eyes will be on struggling Shubman Gill, whom Samson may replace at some point in the series.

Hardik Pandya was in beast mode on his comeback to the national side during the first T20I between India and South Africa at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. He started with two successive sixes against the left-arm spinner, Keshav Maharaj, before Jitesh Sharma joined him in the middle. 

Jitesh got the chance in the eleven ahead of Sanju Samson. Hardik and Jitesh turned the momentum of the first innings during the 19th over of the innings of Lutho Sipamla. The second ball was thumped over the long-off region for a massive six by Hardik Pandya, who slapped the following delivery over the bowler’s head for a four.

See Also: Watch: Tilak Verma smashes Anrich Nortje six out of stadium during IND vs SA 1st T20I

The last ball was expected to be a free hit for the wicket-keeper batter, Jitesh, who had to keep Hardik on strike. And the right-handed batter swung his willow and pulled the short ball over the deep backward square leg for a six to earn 18 runs of the over.

Watch: Hardik Pandya and Jitesh Sharma hit Lutho Sipamla for 18 runs in IND vs SA 1st T20I

On the second ball of the last over, Hardik clubbed Anrich Nortje’s short ball over the third man region for a massive six to celebrate his fifty in just 25 balls before waiting for the slow delivery and thumping it over the mid-on region for a powerful boundary as the home side finished with 175/6 in their allotted 20 overs.

Watch the video here: 

#INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/wZknxlJEHw

— Cricket Everywhere✍🏻 (@Subhamk79241601) December 9, 2025

In the second innings, the left-arm pacer of the Indian side, Arshdeep Singh, drew the first blood for the home side as Quinton de Kock, going for the flashing drive outside the off-stump, got a massive outside edge into the hands of the slip fielder for a two-ball duck. This was the fourth time the southpaw was dismissed by the Ahmedabad-born.

On his second over, the Punjab-born sent back Tristan Stubbs for a nine-ball 14-run knock as the Proteas reached 18/2 in three overs. The dew factors had started to get their effect as India needed to take those vital wickets in the middle overs.

India-A, led by Jitesh Sharma, was defeated by Bangladesh-A (IND-A vs BAN-A) in the semifinal of Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 through a Super Over. Bangladesh needed only 1 run to secure the win in the Super Over of the semifinal. A wide from Suyash Sharma wrapped up the business for the day. 

The Super Over came into the play as both of the teams scored 194 in their respective 20-over limits. India-A had to score 4 runs in the last ball of the 20th over of the second innings, and they managed to get 3 runs. A mistake from BAN-A keeper Akbar Ali allowed Harsh Dubey and Nehal Wadhera to steal two extra runs to go with an easy single. 

Made everyone surprise, Jitesh Sharma and Ramandeep Singh walked in to bat in the Super Over, instead of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who was in trumendous form throughout the tournament. Sharma bowled out on the first ball of the super over while went to play a fancy ramp shot out of nowhere. Ashutosh Sharma replaced Jitesh. Ashutosh made a connection with the ball, the ball was high in the air but did not travel enough to clear the boundary line and ended in a caught out. India-A team scored 0 runs in the Super Over. Ripon Mondol was the bowler from the Bangladesh-A team who took two back-to-back wickets. 

Read More: Watch: All 19 wickets fell on Day 1 of the first Test of The Ashes 2025-26

BAN-A defeated IND-A in Super Over of Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 semi-final

🚨 What a match, what a thriller! 🤯
Bangladesh beat India in Super Over of Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 semi-final. 🔥

India, led by Jitesh Sharma, lost to Pakistan & now Bangladesh in semifinal.

In IPL 2025, Jitesh Sharma troll CSK fans by calling "Dosa, Idli, Sambar, Chutney" pic.twitter.com/VGht9TpurX

— ICC Asia Cricket (@ICCAsiaCricket) November 21, 2025

Drama was not over yet. Bangaldesh needed only 1 run to win the super over as well as the semifinal. Suyash Sharma was the bowler, and Yasir Ali was the batter on the first ball. Yasir sent the ball towards the long-on region. Ramandeep judged the trajectory of the ball very and caught it very well. Bangladesh Bangladesh 0/1. India-A needed one more wicket to maintain the balance of the match. 

The match concluded in the next delivery as Suyash bowled a wide to Akbar Ali. The googly went down the leg side, the batter shuffled and missed the ball. The keeper, Jitesh Sharma missed the opportunity to stump the batter. Umpire signalled it for a wide, and Bangladesh-A win against India-A in the semifinal of the Asia Cup Rising Star 2025.  

India is currently in second place in Group B with one win and one loss. Captain Jitesh Sharma hopes that the team can correct their mistakes and produce a better batting performance against Oman.

On the other hand, Oman managed to register a hard-fought win against the United Arab Emirates, courtesy of splendid contributions from Aryan Bisht, Wasim Ali, Muzahir Raza, and Shafiq Jan. With this result, Oman managed to register its first win of the competition.

Also Read: Abu Dhabi T10 2025: DG vs UBL Dream11 Prediction 02nd Match Fantasy Cricket Tips, Probable Playing XI

IND-A vs OMN Match Details

• Match: India A vs Oman, 10th Match

• Date: 18th November 2025

• Time: 8.00 PM IST

• Venue: West End Park International Cricket Stadium, Doha

• Live Streaming: FanCode

IND-A vs OMN Weather Report

IND-A vs OMN Pitch Report

The surface here will be good for batting with very short boundaries on either side.

Top Batters to Watch – IND-A vs OMN

• Vaibhav Suryavanshi (IN-A): 189 runs in this tournament 

• Jitesh Sharma (IN-A): 88 runs in this tournament 

• Namam Dhir (IN-A): 69 runs in this tournament

Top Bowlers to Watch – IND-A vs OMN

• Gurjapneet Singh (IN-A): 3 wickets in this tournament 

• Wasim Ali (OMN): 3 wickets in this tournament 

• Shafiq Jan (OMN): 3 wickets in this tournament 

IND-A vs OMN Recent Form

IND-A vs OMN Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1: If IN-A Bat First

• Powerplay Score: 55–65

• Predicted Total: 170–180

• Match Result: IND-A to win

Scenario 2: If OMN Bat First

• Powerplay Score: 35–45

• Predicted Total: 135–140

• Match Result: IND-A to win

Who Will Hit the Most Sixes?

Who Will Hit the Most Fours?

IND-A vs OMN Predicted Playing XIs

India A

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Naman Dhir, Jitesh Sharma (c) (wk), Ramandeep Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harsh Dubey, Yash Thakur, Gurjapneet Singh, Suyash Sharma

Oman

Hammad Mirza (c), Sufyan Yousaf (wk), Karan Sonavale, Wasim Ali, Narayan Saishiv, Aryan Bisht, Zikria Islam, Muzahir Raza, Shafiq Jan, Samay Shrivastava, Sufyan Mehmood.

IND-A vs OMN Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win Today?

We predict that India A will win the ACC Men's Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025. Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Priyansh Arya and Harsh Dubey will be key players to watch out for.

BN-A vs AF-A Match FAQs