New Delhi [India] April 10 (ANI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma spoke about the pressure he felt to perform well in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 in order to get selected for the World Cup.

He admitted that he was playing with his mind last year and not focusing on the game itself.

'Last year, because of the World Cup selection, I was not present in the IPL. So, in every game, I was thinking that I have to score, I have to score to get selected in the World Cup. I am not ashamed to accept it. I am a human. A human can make mistakes, and I have no problem with that. Last year, I was playing with my mind,' Jitesh Sharma said in a video shared by IPL.

He described how Dinesh Karthik became his mentor after the IPL auction. Karthik recognized that Sharma was overthinking and offered mental support, encouraging him to focus on his strengths and implement his advice in Syed Mushtaq tournament.

'Then I spoke to D.K. [Dinesh Karthik], and I told him that these were the things I was playing with in my mind. My work with D.K. started after the auction. As soon as the auction was over, I got a call from him. He was saying that this year, I am thinking so much for you that I know your strength. So, he was talking mentally. When Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq was playing, he was saying that whatever I am saying, try to do it in the matches,' he added.

Jitesh Sharma was first purchased in the IPL by the Mumbai Indians in 2016 and retained in 2017, but he didn't get a game with them. He was again bought in the IPL 2022 auction by the Punjab Kings, and he made an impression as a finisher. Jitesh scored 234 runs at a strike rate of 163.64 in IPL 2022 and followed it up with an impressive season in 2023, racking up 309 runs at a strike rate of 156.06. His performances as a finisher earned him his T20I debut.

RCB picked him ahead of the IPL auction 2025 for Rs11 Crore. So far, in four matches, he has scored 85 runs with an average of 42.50 and a strike rate of 184.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to take on Delhi Capitals in the 24th match of the IPL 2025 on April 10 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB is still looking for its first win at home, even though it has sealed victories in all three away games of the competition so far. (ANI)