Jitesh Sharma leaves Vidarbha, joins Baroda for 2025-26 season
What's the story
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma has made a major shift from Vidarbha to Baroda in his domestic career. The transfer comes after the 31-year-old did not feature in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy. The Indian batter was part of Vidarbha's Karun Nair-led white-ball rosters. Notably, Jitesh has featured in only 18 First-Class games as of now. Here are further details.
Transfer details
Jitesh's transfer to Baroda
As per ESPNcricinfo, the news of Jitesh's transfer to Baroda has been floating around for a while. He has had close ties with Baroda captain Krunal Pandya, also his teammate at RCB. This is believed to have played a major role in this move. The shift could give Jitesh a fresh chance to establish himself as a regular in First-Class cricket.
Career highlights
Limited First-Class exposure
Since his First-Class debut in the 2015-16 season, Jitesh has played just 18 matches in a decade. He has a paltry average of 24.48 with four half-centuries to his name. His last appearance in this format was nearly 18 months ago (January 2024). However, Jitesh has made strides in shorter formats over recent years. He owns 1,533 List A and 2,886 T20 runs to his name.
IPL success
Success in shorter formats
Jitesh made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut with Punjab Kings in 2023 and was picked for India during the Asian Games later that year. In nine T20Is for Team India, Jitesh has a strike rate of 147.05. Earlier this year, he played a crucial role as a finisher for RCB in IPL 2025. His unbeaten 85 in a must-win match against Lucknow Super Giants earned him massive praise. As per ESPNcricinfo, Jitesh struck at a staggering 176.35.