The star Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson was ignored when the previous opening batsman Aakash Chopra picked the first-choice gloveman for the India Nationwide Cricket Crew within the ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026.
As a substitute of Sanju Samson, Aakash Chopra picked the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Jitesh Sharma because the frontrunner for the place of wicketkeeper-batsman in India’s ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 staff.
Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma make it to India’s Asia Cup squad
The 31-year-old Royal Challengers Bengaluru participant Jitesh Sharma is among the many two wicketkeeper-batsmen named within the India squad for the Asia Cup 2025, alongside Sanju Samson.
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He made it to the 15-man squad on the again of his heroics in RCB’s maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) triumph in 2025, the place he was stellar with the bat and gorgeous behind the stumps.
In 15 matches, he scored 261 runs at a mean of 37.28 and a strike charge of 176.35. He additionally took 19 catches and inflicted one stumping in IPL 2025.
He’s more likely to begin within the India taking part in XI as a middle-order batter, as Shubman Gill, being the vice-captain, is more likely to open the innings with Abhishek Sharma, changing gloveman Sanju Samson.
In the meantime, talking on his official YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra mentioned that Jitesh’s numbers have been fairly good whereas batting from No.4 to No.7. He said:
“We come to the person who’s there (within the Asia Cup squad). I really feel he’ll play within the XI. That’s Jitesh Sharma. When he has performed at Nos. 1 to three, he has a strike charge of 135 and a mean of 25. We should not assume an excessive amount of about that as a result of he will not get an opportunity there. Nevertheless, his numbers at Nos. 4 to 7 have develop into lots higher.”
He appears to be at No. 1 – Aakash Chopra offers Jitesh Sharma the wicketkeeper-batsman spot for T20 WC
Aakash Chopra highlighted Jitesh Sharma’s nice strike charge whereas batting within the center and decrease order and picked him as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman for the ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026. He mentioned:
“He has a strike charge of 166 and a mean of 28. He’s the primary batter whose strike charge is above 150. So when the pecking order is ready, he’ll go proper on the prime. Jitesh Sharma’s numbers have seemed the most effective amongst everybody else. Jitesh Sharma is shining shiny. He appears to be at No. 1.”
Aakash Chopra additional talked about Dhruv Jurel and mentioned that the younger wicketkeeper-batsman can be in competition for the following 12 months’s T20 World Cup. He mentioned:
“Dhruv Jurel is part of the Indian setup for the time being. He’s among the many standbys presently. He has performed solely two matches at Nos. 1 to three, so there is no such thing as a level in speaking a couple of strike charge of 71 there. Nevertheless, at Nos. 4 to 7, the place he bats recurrently, he has a strike charge of 144 and a mean of 25, which isn’t dangerous,” he mentioned.
He’s additionally a piece in progress – Aakash Chopra
The cricketer-turned-commentator, nonetheless, opined that Dhruv Jurel is a “work in progress” for the time being however added that he’s supremely gifted. He mentioned:
“He’s additionally a piece in progress. I will not say that he’s a completed product, however I’ve quite a lot of time for Dhruv Jurel as a result of he is an efficient cricketer.
“He has the may. He has the expertise to bat at that quantity, and that is the thought course of behind the Indian staff administration preserving him, and that is why he’s a part of the standbys. He was a part of the staff final time, however is now a part of the standbys.”
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