Former Indian Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara has urged Royal Challengers Bengaluru to continue backing wicket-keeper bat Jitesh Sharma for the clash against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday. Sharma was dismissed after scoring 18 runs off 12 balls in the previous game against Mumbai Indians.
The right-hander hasn’t been in the best of forms in the ongoing IPL 2026 as he has scored 82 runs in nine innings at an average of 9.11 and a strike rate of 115.29.
Pujara highlighted that the batting conditions won’t be easy in Raipur and RCB must back Jitesh Sharma despite his low returns.
Pujara said on Star Sports, “If I had to take that call, I wouldn’t do that. I know that Jitesh hasn’t been in good form, but he has been keeping wickets well. He has taken some important catches for RCB, and that’s why I think you still need to show that faith. Someone like him, if you place enough trust in his batting, then he can come good. Because if you are batting at number six or seven, that is not an easy position to bat in, and you need to have more innings as a batter when you are batting at number six or seven.
“So RCB, looking at their overall squad and the way they show faith in their players, I think he will continue, but we’ll have to wait and watch. If he gets that backing from the team, then you’re just one innings away. I know that the pitch at Raipur is not easy to bat on, but you still need to back your players because he is someone who has a lot of potential, and at number six and number seven, he can be very dangerous,” he added.
On the other hand, Pujara said RCB’s hard-hitter Tim David should come into bat in the final five overs of the innings rather than at the 10-12 over mark.
He added, “RCB’s middle order, they will have to perform well. Jitesh hasn’t been scoring runs for them. Tim David, when he’s batting around the 10th or 12th over, again, his batting has been tested. So he should be batting after the 15th over, and he shouldn’t be batting up the order, and that responsibility lies with the top order. So RCB’s top order will have to do the job for them to win the game.”
RCB will take on KKR on Wednesday.
