"His ticket to the World Cup has started getting printed slightly" - Parthiv Patel on Jitesh Sharma's place in India's T20 World Cup squad

Parthiv Patel feels Jitesh Sharma is on the verge of sealing his place in India's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Jitesh is one of the two wicketkeeper-batters, with Sanju Samson being the other, in India's 16-member squad for the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan. The Vidarbha player was preferred over his Kerala counterpart for the first two games.

During a discussion on JioCinema, Patel was asked about the faith the Indian team management has shown in Jitesh. He responded:

"Yes, they are definitely doing that and the reason for that is the number of openers or top-order batters we have in the Indian team. There is a sort of traffic jam at the top because you have Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is injured, and Shubman Gill, who opened in the first match."

The former India wicketkeeper-batter added:

"So India's option is probably to have a wicketkeeper who can bat down the order. If you have to bat down the order, you need a destructive batter. The way Jitesh Sharma is playing, he is a very good option and I feel his ticket to the World Cup has started getting printed slightly."

Patel noted that Jitesh is seemingly the only middle-order wicketkeeper-batter option available for the Men in Blue. He reasoned that the other contenders - Sanju Samson, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan - bat in the top order.

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"He understood the situation very well and played according to that" - Parthiv Patel on Jitesh Sharma's knock in the first T20I

Jitesh Sharma scored a 20-ball 31 in the first T20I against Afghanistan. [P/C: BCCI]

Parthiv Patel praised Jitesh Sharma for playing as per the demands of the situation in the first T20I against Afghanistan. He said:

"The sample size is very small, but when he came to bat in the first T20I, he came before the 10th over. I feel he understood the situation very well and played according to that."

The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that the right-hander showed a different facet of his game. He elaborated:

"He didn't have to bat the way he usually does. He had to settle a little, keep the strike rate slightly low, and then play his shots. It means he showed another dimension as well, that he can also build an innings."

Patel also lauded Jitesh for his glovework behind the wickets. He was particularly appreciative of his stumping of Rahmanullah Gurbaz off Axar Patel's bowling in the first T20I against Afghanistan, highlighting that the left-arm spinner's angle makes it difficult for a wicketkeeper when the ball goes between the bat and the pad.