'Last 18 months how he performed, he is ahead of...': Ex-BCCI selector justifies IPL 2023 star’s Team India selection
A former BCCI selector justified a wicketkeeper-batter's Team India selection, crediting his performances in IPL and domestic cricket.
Currently Punjab Kings' second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2023, Jitesh Sharma has been in good form and has justified his Team India in their last two series. Although he was selected, he failed to make a single appearance. The 29-year-old has registered 239 runs in 10 matches, at a strike rate of 165.97 and 26.56 average. He registered his highest score of this season in PBKS' latest outing in Match 46, where they lost to Mumbai Indians by six wickets. The wicketkeeper-batter smacked an unbeaten knock of 49 runs off 27 balls, packed with five fours and two sixes as PBKS posted 214/3 in 20 overs.
The innings also saw Liam Livingstone hammer an unbeaten knock of 82 runs off 42 deliveries. Meanwhile, MI spinner Piyush Chawla took two wickets. Chasing a target of 215 runs, MI reached 216/4 in 18.5 overs, courtesy of some fine batting from Ishan Kishan (75), Suryakumar Yadav (66) and Tilak Varma (26*). For Punjab's bowling department, Nathan Ellis scalped two dismissals.
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Speaking to PTI, former India chief selector Sunil Joshi, who is also PBKS' spin bowling coach, justified Jitesh's Team India selection and credited it to his form in the last 18 months in domestic cricket and IPL.
"Jitesh has been wonderful. It shows his quality and one of the reasons he was picked in the Indian team in place of Sanju Samson. In the last 18 months how he has performed in domestic and IPL and that is the reason he is being ahead of some other wicketkeepers", he said.
"Jitesh was already in the team in the last T20 series. His role is to go out and express himself with the bat and enjoy, and he has been doing that for Punjab Kings."
Explaining why he is perfect for the T20 format, Joshi further added, "Lets stick to the T20 format, he has done well consistently in this format in the last two years of IPL. That performance was recognised by the wise people who picked him for the Indian team."
Despite Jitesh's incredible form, PBKS have been in erratic form in IPL 2023 and are currently seventh in the points table with 10 points in 10 games, packed with five wins and five defeats.
