Before the beginning of the new season in Indian cricket, an Indian cricketer, who led Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has changed his domestic cricket team. 

Jitesh Sharma moves from Vidarbha to Baroda

The 31-year-old Indian cricketer Jitesh Sharma, who led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in two matches during the IPL 2025, where they created history by winning their first trophy, has changed his domestic cricket team from Vidarbha to Baroda. 

Although the wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma served for Vidarbha in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season, he wasn't selected in any playing XIs in the last Ranji Trophy season, as the first-choice wicketkeeper for his team was Akshay Wadkar. 

Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) Secretary Ajit Lele recently confirmed ETV Bharat, "Yes both the players, Jitesh and Rasikh, will be playing for Baroda from the next domestic season." The 25-year-old right-arm pacer Rasikh Salam previously served for Jammu and Kashmir.

According to media reports, Jitesh Sharma's recent decision to change the domestic cricket team was due to his close friendship with Baroda captain Krunal Pandya, who is a teammate of his in the IPL franchise RCB. 

See Also: IPL 2026 Trade News: KKR likely to swap star batter with SRH

Jitesh Sharma's career

After making his senior domestic cricket debut in February 2014, Jitesh has played 56 List A games and 141 T20Is, along with only 18 first-class matches, the format where he made his debut in October 2015. He has played nine T20Is for India after making his international cricket debut in October 2023. In his T20I career, Jitesh has scored 100 runs.

With 261 runs in 11 innings (15 matches), Jitesh Sharma was the fourth-highest run-scorer for IPL 2025 champions RCB, with an average of 37.28 and a strike rate of 176.35, including one half-century, which was match-winning 85 not out off 33 balls against Lucknow Super Giants.  

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicket-keeper batter, Jitesh Sharma, will represent the Baroda side in the upcoming season of the domestic tournament. The 31-year-old didn’t feature in any games of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, playing the second fiddle to the captain and the first-choice wicket-keeper Akshay Wadkar. Jitesh, however, remained part of the white-ball squads under the captaincy of Karun Nair. 

The wicket-keeper, Jitesh Sharma, batter had a fabulous season for the RCB side, playing a huge role in making the franchise champions for the very first time in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The right-handed batter drilled 261 runs in 11 innings at an average of 37.28 and a strike rate of nearly 176, shouldering one half-century at the best score of unbeaten 85 runs.

See Also: Who is better between Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell Starc? Stats Comparison of two premier pacers

Jitesh, who also played nine T20Is for India, earning 100 runs at a strike rate of 147.05, is likely to leave Vidarbha. The transfer to Baroda is likely to work in a few days with his close ties. Krunal Pandya, the Baroda captain, who was with the batter in RCB, is expected to help in the association.

RCB player Jitesh Sharma to play with Krunal Pandya in this domestic team

This shift could be a new chance for the lower-order batter to cement his place in the side as a regular first-class player. Since making his debut in the 2015-16 season, the Maharashtra-born has featured in only 18 red-ball domestic games over the past ten seasons. His average, as a result, is below 25 with four half-centuries as his most recent game in the Ranji Trophy came nearly 18 months ago.

🚨 JITESH SHARMA TO BARODA 🚨

- Jitesh Sharma will play alongside Krunal & Hardik in the upcoming Domestic season. [Espn Cricinfo] pic.twitter.com/UAZWDJSNcR

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 17, 2025

Despite the limited opportunities in red-ball cricket, Jitesh has left a mark in the shortest format. His first breakthrough season during the IPL came in 2023, as he earned an India T20I cap during the Asian Games in October that year. His 85* during the recently concluded IPL 2025 came when the Bengaluru side was in a must-win position against the Lucknow Super Giants to claim the top two spots.

Even when Rajat Patidar was out of the side due to an injury, Jitesh displayed his leadership qualities. Along with him, his IPL teammate Swapnil Singh, is also set to move to Tripura. He recently turned up for the Chepauk Super Gillies in the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2025 and picked up three wickets in eight games, besides scoring 85 runs in eight fixtures.

A video featuring Indian cricketer Jitesh Sharma has been making rounds on social media, showing him shouting towards the commentary box, where his Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) mentor Dinesh Karthik was present. The clip quickly went viral, sparking various speculations among fans.

Many users on social platforms interpreted the moment differently, with some trolling both players and suggesting tension between the two. The video led to widespread discussions, drawing attention from fans and media alike during the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

To clear the air, Dinesh Karthik addressed the issue on X. He explained the context behind the moment and strongly criticized the online trolls for spreading unnecessary negativity. Karthik urged fans not to jump to conclusions based on short clips and reminded them of the mutual respect shared between him and Jitesh Sharma. His statement aimed to put an end to the rumors and online backlash.

See Also: After an intense bidding war, RCB star Devdutt Padikkal attracts highest bid

Dinesh Karthik Addresses Concerns over the Circulated Video:

During the third Test between India and England at the iconic Lord’s, a video of Jitesh Sharma went viral on social media. The clip, shared with a caption claiming he was denied entry into the stadium, quickly gained attention. The caption on that video was “ Lord's security guard didn't allow Jitesh Sharma to enter the stadium. This is so embarrassing.”

After the video gained traction online, it led to various reactions from fans. To clarify the situation, former Indian cricketer and current commentator Dinesh Karthik took to social media. He shared what really happened and expressed his concern over how quickly misinformation spreads on such platforms, urging people not to believe everything they see or read online.

He wrote, “These are some issues with social media that a lot face. I invited jitesh to the comm box, he had come, and I came and met him down and took him to the comm box and he met everyone there. Btw this is below the media center, not the entrance to the ground.”

These are some issues with social media that a lot face

I invited jitesh to the comm box , he had come , and I came and met him down and took him to the comm box and he met everyone there

Btw this is below the media center , not the entrance to the ground 😊 https://t.co/Z22AAyp3CN

— DK (@DineshKarthik) July 16, 2025

Jitesh Sharma found himself in an unpleasant situation when he visited Lord's Cricket Ground to watch the England vs. India 3rd Test match live from the ground. Before entering into the field, the security personnel restricted Sharma from making an entry into the stadium. Fans made no mistake to spot the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star, and they requested on behalf of him that the on-duty security personnel open the gate for Jitesh. But the security at the Lord's denied all the requests and stayed strong on his decision.

So, Jitesh had to wait outside the stadium for a while. In the meantime, former India cricketer, now a commentator, Dinesh Karthik made his entrance into the stadium. In a video shared on social media, it is claimed that Sharma shouted for help from Karthik. But by then, the distance between those two was too much, and the noise there made it very hard to differentiate a particular voice.

Understanding the situation, Sharma then dialed up Karthik's personal number. Karthik, without any delay, came out from the gate and helped Jitesh Sharma to enter into the stadium. With the assistance from the former cricketer, he enjoyed the match without any further complications. 

Watch the moment here:

😭😭🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/DCZWW5nr65

— रोहन (@Pvthaibhai) July 16, 2025

Read More: 'Come back to Test cricket after retirement'- Madan Lal urges Virat Kohli to comeback in Test cricket

Sharma's undisputed stint with RCB

Jitesh Sharma, 31 years old, played an instrumental role behind RCB's IPL 2025 glory. His involvement in the middle order provided a much-needed balance for the Bengaluru-based franchise. In the final match against Punjab Kings, the keeper-batter played a useful 24-run innings. In 15 IPL games for RCB, the right-handed batter claimed a total of 261 runs with an average of 37.28, including an unbeaten 85-run innings, which came against Lucknow Super Giants.

Speaking about the Lord's Test, India experienced a narrow defeat against England. Ben Stokes's side won the match by only 22 runs. In the second innings, India's batting order collapsed. Apart from KL Rahul's significant contribution and Ravindra Jadeja's fifty-plus scores, the men in blue could not do much with the bat on Day 5. 

Vidarbha’s build-up to the 2025–26 domestic season has just suffered a huge blow with the anticipated exodus of two of their star players—Karun Nair and Jitesh Sharma. They were two of the major players during Vidarbha's largely successful 2024–25 season, in which they were able to lift the Ranji Trophy, reach the finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and qualify for the quarter-finals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT).

Karun Nair made a great recovery back after a disappointing stint with Karnataka to be with Vidarbha and had a great red-ball season, finishing with 863 runs from nine matches—fourth overall for the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season. His established consistency not only resurrected his domestic career but also earned him a testimonial opportunity within the India Test squad for the England series. Nair was prolific in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 779 runs, which crowned him as the highest scorer of the tournament. Rumors are that he is returning to Karnataka to finish his journey at home in his original state.

Karun Nair and Jitesh Sharma have decided to leave Vidarbha. (Cricbuzz). pic.twitter.com/GSNFwJ6IiO

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 19, 2025

Also Read: Echoes of excellence: June 20 in Indian Test history

Jitesh Sharma's Move to Baroda Signals New Chapter

Joining Nair, Jitesh Sharma, a veteran wicketkeeper-batter from Vidarbha, is also on the move, with reports suggesting he will be heading in the direction of Baroda. Jitesh led Vidarbha in the SMAT and played under Nair's captaincy in the Vijay Hazare Trophy; both exhibited versatility during the 2024–25 season and leadership for the team in tough situations. He further raised his profile during IPL 2025, playing for RCB and even captaining the side for stretches due to Rajat Patidar's unavailability.

Baroda, reportedly searching for a proven leader, could have just the player—someone that could not only hold the innings together but also manage the others while working within the responsibilities of a keeper and a leader—someone that could make the difference for the western side. While Jitesh's switch looks likely to occur in the coming days, his departure, along with that of Karun Nair leaving Vidarbha, brings another significant moment to a close for Vidarbha cricket.

Jitesh Sharma once again came to rescue his team, this time with NECO Master Blaster. They need 5 runs in the very last ball of the Semifinal 1 of the Vidharbha Pro T20 league against Bharat Rangers, and Blasters did it with the help of Sharma, who, earlier this month, won the IPL 2025 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and is now only a few inches away from lifting another trophy. 

Batting first in the Semifinal 1, Rangers was looking dangerous from the beginning of the innings. Their skipper and opener, Atharva Taide, remained not out but missed a ton, only scoring 6 runs. Taide's 53-ball, unbeaten 94 innings was decorated with seven fours and five sixes. Blaster got 204 in the 20-over limit only for 3 wickets. In the middle overs of the first innings, Taide stitched together a couple of important partnerships to put his team in a comfortable position. Neel Athaley and Varun Bisht scored 39 and 50 not out, respectively. 

Master Blasters chose to drive with top gear to overtake the massive target within the over limit. They stepped onto the field in the second inning with an inch-perfect blueprint. From the opening wicket, they were in the mood to deal with only fours and sixes. Vedant Dighade (35) and Adhyayan Daga (66) formed an 84-run partnership, facing only 42 balls, and offered their team the boost they needed to compete against such a competitive total. 

Read More: Hazlewood-Cummins-Starc trio better than McGrath-Gillespie-Lee: Matthew Hayden

A captain's knock in the Semifinal

After the first wicket stand, the team, led by Jitesh Sharma, counted two more fifty-plus partnerships in the second and third wicket stands also. So far, the match was looking within the grip of Master Blaster. Sanjay's dismissal only for individual 1 troubled the team during the decisive moments of the match. 

When the team felt the pressure most, Jitesh came to the rescue. With over a 200 strike rate, he scored an unbeaten 46 by thrashing six 6s and one 4. The 6th over-boundary of his innings came for a winning cause in the semifinal. 

Watch Jitesh Sharma's match winning innings here

Last ball Winning six by Jitesh Sharma in Semi Final of Vidarbha Pro T20 League Today
Watch his innings of 46(22)* pic.twitter.com/GEvsGGsWFw

— Abhishek (@79off201) June 13, 2025

The Vidarbha Pro T20 League (VPL) Match 13 at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium was enlivened by RCB chants as Jitesh Sharma, the explosive wicketkeeper-batter for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL, batted for NECO Master Blaster (NMB) against Pagariya Strikers (PAS). The RCB chants will be heard from the stands, highlighting Sharma’s growing popularity and the fervent RCB fan base, even in a domestic league. Sharma finished with a quick-fire 21 off 12 balls, including a four and two sixes, yet NMB lost the game by 8 runs, making 157/6 off their 20 overs to PAS's 165/10.

Sharma's innings, although not sufficient for NMB's win, was the center of attraction during the RCB shouts. His 21 runs were off an 18-run over off Dipesh Parwani, and Sharma had been showing his intent, but NMB could not achieve the 166-run mark. The RCB chants, which were recorded in a viral video, spoke volumes of the emotional bond between Sharma and fans, a reflection of RCB's huge fan base, which has more than 21 million Instagram followers, the most followed cricket franchise on the platform. Sharma's affiliation with RCB, joining after their momentous IPL title victory, placed him amongst the fans, showing just how popular he has become!

Watch the video here

RCB RCB Chants in Vidarbha Pro T20 League Match pic.twitter.com/andlUP0jZN

— Abhi (@79off201) June 11, 2025

Also Read: VPL 2025, Match 13: Pagariya Strikers vs NECO Master Blaster Full Match Highlights

RCB's Fan Base Influence

The RCB chants that resounded throughout Sharma's stint at bat signified the reach of the franchise's supporters beyond the confines of the IPL. This was a display of the very power of domestic leagues to be venues for broader fan expression. In the 2025 IPL season, Sharma scored 261 off of 11 innings with a strike rate of 176.35, doing his part in contributing to RCB's campaign. His performance in Nagpur, although not an overall view like in the IPL, carried the feeling of his IPL batting, leaving RCB supporters engaged in the VPL.

Royal Challengers Bangalore finally ended its wait for an IPL trophy after 18 years. The franchise has witnessed some of the best players in their dugout every season, but has failed to win the trophy. The 2025 season was a special one for RCB, and the team produced a collective effort. Every player stepped up during demanding situations, whether it was the experience of Virat Kohli and Josh Hazlewood or Jitesh Sharma's aggressive batting and Krunal Pandya's clever off-spin.

New skipper Jitesh Sharma showcased tremendous calmness under pressure and made clever bowling changes depending on the batting team's strengths. In this piece, we discuss five players who played a big role in helping the team win the IPL trophy for the first time. We discuss these five players in detail:

1. Virat Kohli

'King Kohli' was again the core of the RCB batting line-up, showcasing aggression in his batting. The 36-year-old scored 657 runs in 15 IPL games during the 2025 season, scoring 8 half-centuries with a strike rate of 144.71. The former India skipper played an influential role while chasing big totals. The right-hander used his experience of playing in different situations. Kohli built his innings cleverly and accelerated when needed.

2. Josh Hazlewood

The Australian pacer used his experience in judging the conditions and wickets to good effect. The 34-year-old didn't allow the opposition batters to score easily. Hazlewood managed to claim crucial wickets during the run of play with his clever swing and seam movements.

His leg cutters troubled the batters on slow wickets, and he used his slower ones smartly. He claimed 22 wickets in 12 IPL games during the entire season with best bowling figures of 4/33.

See Also: 4 players who have scored 5,000-plus runs in both the IPL and Test cricket

3. Phil Salt

Phil Salt was crucial in providing acceleration as an opener. His destructive hitting destroyed the opposition's morale. The 28-year-old smashed the opposition bowlers out of the park.

The England opener read the wickets well and attacked the spinners at will. The right-hander was aggressive against pacers when they bowled short of length or when he was offered width. The England wicket-keeper batter scored 403 runs in 13 IPL games with a strike rate of 175.98 by registering 4 half-centuries.

4. Krunal Pandya

Krunal Pandya was the core of the RCB bowling lineup in the entire season. The left-arm off-spinner mixed his deliveries cleverly. The 34-year-old caused problems for the batters with his length and bowled quicker through the air to surprise the batters. Pandya claimed 17 wickets in 15 IPL games with best bowling figures of 4/25. Krunal Pandya's inclusion added penetration in the RCB bowling lineup.

5. Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma's inclusion made the RCB batting lineup robust. The 32-year-old was bought for a sum of INR 11 crore by RCB, and the wicket-keeper batter turned out to be valuable with his powerful hitting abilities. The right-hander stepped up when needed, scoring 261 runs in 15 IPL games with a strike rate of 176.35. Jitesh Sharma can play match-winning innings, and that is exactly what he did this season.

Jitesh Sharma's cameo played a crucial role for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the closing moment of the first innings. During the stormy innings, Sharma has played one of the most unorthodox shots in the final of the Indian Premier League.

The batter played a 24-run innings with a 240.00 strike rate, facing only 10 balls, before being bowled out by Punjab Kings (PBKS) pacer Vyshak Vijay Kumar. Jitesh came into the crease after Virat Kohli laid a foundation for a respectable fighting total to counter PBKS.

The keeper, in a red and black jersey, without wasting any time, started to drive his innings at top gear. Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer asked Kyle Jamieson to bowl the 17th over of the innings.

Read More: WATCH: Rajat Patidar smashes huge six off Yuzvendra Chahal in RCB vs PBKS finale clash

Jamieson was up against Jitesh Sharma. The tall bowler hit the deck hard with some extra bounce towards the middle and off, close to the right-handed batter's body, and it was a decent delivery in the dying moment of the match. Jitesh stunned all the cricket fans with his unorthodox shots over the keeper's head.

He allowed the ball to come close and then shifted weight on the back foot to swing that bat like a scoop. Without watching the shot live or through video clips, cricket fans may refuse to imagine how he executed the shot. In the same over, Sharma hoisted a huge six with a handsome-looking straight bat. 

Watch the unthinkable shot here 

ONE OF THE CRAZIEST SHOTS IN IPL 2025 - JITESH 🥶 pic.twitter.com/iFmBPwM6eb

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 3, 2025

In a thrilling finish to the First innings of IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Chandigarh, Josh Hazlewood of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had delivered a memorable performance, and wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma had played an integral role. Hazlewood effectively ended the Punjab Kings (PBKS) innings at just 101 after dismissing Azmatullah Omarzai at 14.1 overs. Hazlewood bowled a length seam-up delivery over-the-wicket line on the fourth stump, and it held seam in and moved in a little as Omarzai stepped down to slog-sweep across the line, offering a thick outside edge that flew to Jitesh's right. Jitesh leapt athletically for a stunning one-handed catch, igniting wild celebrations and stamping RCB's position in this crunch playoff match.

RCB's disciplined bowling, by Hazlewood, with three wickets including Omarzai's with their final wicket, helped dissolve PBKS's batting lineup when support came from three from Suyash Sharma and two from Yash Dayal. RCB maximized the bounce and movement of the surface, and PBKS struggled to build an innings or partnerships, with Hazlewood's wicket capping the PBKS innings, and Jitesh's sensationally acrobatic catch also showed RCB's fielding had been sharp in supporting their bowling. The early dismissals and consistent pressure from RCB’s attack ensured PBKS could only muster 101, with just two batters reaching double figures, setting RCB a straightforward chase for a spot in the IPL 2025 final.

Watch the video here

Look this unbelievable catch by jitesh sharma❤️ #IPL2025 #Qualifier1 #JiteshSharma #rcb #rcbfans #RCBvsPBKS pic.twitter.com/XJYJvGJU3p

— Aditya kumar (@adityagupta_418) May 29, 2025

Also Read: [WATCH] Qualifier 1: Shreyas Iyer dismissed by Josh Hazlewood in PBKS vs RCB clash in IPL 2025

Current Match Situation: PBKS vs RCB 

PBKS were bowled out for 101 runs in 14.1 overs, and RCB only needed 102 runs to qualify for the final of IPL 2025. Jitesh Sharma took an outstanding one-handed catch off the bowling of Hazlewood to dismiss Omarzai, and in our opinion it concluded an impressive bowling performance. Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma each took three wickets, and Yash Dayal took two wickets; consequently, there is an opportunity for RCB's bowlers to pull off a commanding chase in this important Qualifier match, aided by Jitesh's brilliant fielding.