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Punjab Kings (PBKS) wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma has revealed the piece of advice by England all-rounder Liam Livingstone that helped him in his distinctive finisher's role in the 2023 IPL.
PBKS failed to make it to the playoff stage for the ninth season in a row. The Shikhar Dhawan-led side won only six out of 14 league matches to finish eighth on the points table.
Jitesh Sharma was one of the most consistent performers of an insipid PBKS side. The Vidarbha gloveman was slotted to bat between No.5 and No.7. He would annihilate the opposition bowlers with his brisk-hitting prowess.
His job was to up the ante in the death overs simply by whacking his willow, a role that the 29-year-old has been fond of. It was Sharma's PBKS teammate Liam Livingstone, a massive hitter of the ball himself, who gave some valuable tips to the uncapped Indian player to enhance his role as a finisher.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo on Livingstone's advice to develop as a genuine hitter in death overs, Jitesh Sharma said:
"Liam asked me to have a clear mindset when attacking. He said, 'There shouldn't be any scope for a second thought once you have decided that you will be going for the big hit. Also, you shouldn't regret getting out playing a big shot'."
Jitesh added:
"As an Indian, I always feel that I have limited opportunities to showcase my talent. But Liam told me that the No. 6 or 7 position is one where you're bound to fail multiple times, considering the requirements of that slot. He wanted me to be thick-skinned."
"The more I played this season, the calmer I got" - Jitesh Sharma
Jitesh Sharma scored 309 runs in 14 innings at an average of 23.77 and a strike rate of 156.06, including three 40-plus scores. He was PBKS' third-highest run-getter behind Prabhsimran Singh (358) and Shikhar Dhawan (373).
Speaking about his batting progression from the previous season (IPL 2022), Jitesh Sharma said:
"I believe the more I played this season, the calmer I got. I have seen what the IPL looks like. Now, I feel I belong. I learned how to get used to playing alongside the big names and with the loud crowd across all stadiums."
In the 46th league match of the 2023 IPL, Sharma scored a quickfire 49 off 27 balls against Mumbai Indians with the help of five boundaries and two sixes to propel PBKS to 214/3 in the first innings. Punjab scored 69 runs in the last five overs as Sharma and Livingstone were involved in an unbroken 119-run stand.
"When I scored 49 not out against Mumbai Indians in Mohali. I have played an attacking role in pretty much every situation, but against Mumbai, I had to have a long partnership, which I got with Liam Livingstone," he mentioned about his most calm innings.
Sharma was part of India's T20I squad in the bilateral series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand in January earlier this year but didn't get the chance to make his international debut in either series.
