NAGPUR: Flamboyant
Jitesh Sharma made minor changes to his game ahead of this domestic season which worked wonders for the Vidarbha wicketkeeper. His new approach as a finisher not only helped Vidarbha in T20s but also booked his IPL ticket at a base price of Rs20 lakh on Saturday.
IPL AUCTION 2022 LIVEThe right-hander was picked by
Punjab Kings
during the
IPL mega auction
. However, Vidarbha’s Umesh Yadav (Rs2 crore) remained unsold in the first round and may be reconsidered on Sunday. On Sunday, Vidarbha's 11 more players would be in fray.
The 28-year-old Sharma, who used to be an opener earlier, has established himself as a finisher in a matter of just two months before the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s (SMAT). Sharma played a pivotal role in Vidarbha's march to semifinals.
The wicket-keeper batted mainly in the middle-order, between numbers 3 and 5, and amassed 214 runs at a strike-rate of 235.16, which is highest in the tournament. He averaged a handsome 53.50 to go with that.
It is learnt that Sharma’s performance as a finisher in front of IPL talent scouts in November 2021 made the difference. He had hit 28 not out at a strike rate of 400 against a quality Maharashtra side in New Delhi to impress the scouts of every franchise present in the balcony.
Jitesh had earlier been part of the IPL. He was bought by Mumbai Indians in 2016 and was released in 2018 without getting a game. Ever since, he was looking to make a comeback to the league.
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