Punjab Kings batter Jitesh Sharma’s performance in IPL 2024 has been below-average so far. The PBKS vice-captain has only managed to score 27 runs in three games, casting aspersions on whether he should be a contender for a spot in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad. Other wicketkeeper-batters who are in the fray have outperformed him so far in the tournament.
Time running out for Jitesh Sharma?
With the WC squad set to be picked by the last week of April, time is indeed running out of Jitesh Sharma’s hands. The keeper-batter had his best run in IPL 2023, scoring an impressive 309 runs throughout the season. Batting in the lower-middle order, the PBKS star was one of the star finishers for the side in that year.
However, this year there has been no remarkable performances from the batter yet. To add to his misery, other contenders for the prized keeper-batter role in India’s squad are seemingly doing much better, edging him out of the race.
| Name | Runs |
| Rishabh Pant | 152 |
| KL Rahul | 93 |
| Ishan Kishan | 50 |
| Sanju Samson | 109 |
| Dhruv Jurel | 40 |
| Jitesh Sharma | 42 |
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To start off with, LSG skipper KL Rahul has managed to score more runs despite having not fully recovered from his quadricep injury. So far, he has scored 93 runs in IPL 2024, at a strike rate of 138.81.
Comeback man Rishabh Pant is way ahead of Jitesh Sharma despite having not played cricket for nearly 14 months. With two fifties to his name already, Pant has amassed 152 runs in four games, with a strike rate of 158.33.
Ishan Kishan, who is still yet to display prowess in IPL 2024, is already considered a frontrunner for a spot in the squad, pending his performance in the tournament. However, he still has a point to prove, having scored only 50 runs so far in the tournament.
An unlikely option, Sanju Samson has also made his case with a couple of good performances for the Rajasthan Royals. The RR skipper has 109 runs to his name from three games, with a highest score of 82 not out.
Another RR star who is in the fray is Dhruv Jurel. The keeper-batter is in the good books of both selectors and the captain after an impressive debut in the IND vs ENG Test series. His ability to bat well at number 6 allows India to make an attempt to take a chance with him for the WC. He has scored only 40 runs in IPL 2024 so far. However, that can be discounted for, given the position at which he bats and the number of deliveries he gets to face.
However, it is highly unlikely that Jurel may get a chance, considering India will aim to zero in on two stars in particular – KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant.
With time running out of Jitesh Sharma’s hands, it is imperative for the PBKS star to pull up his socks and let his bat start doing the talking that is required.
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