Kevin Pietersen, the former England cricketer, has expressed his belief that Jitesh Sharma, a wicket-keeper batter for the Punjab Kings squad, could potentially replace Rishabh Pant in the Indian cricket team. Pant has been out of action indefinitely following a vehicle accident, leaving a significant gap in the Indian national team across all formats of the game.
Sharma, who made his debut in the Indian Premier League in 2022, has been praised for his finishing skills, scoring 234 runs in his first season as a keeper-batter with a strike rate of 163.34. This season, he has moved up the order due to the absence of Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Jonny Bairstow from the Punjab Kings lineup. Sharma has once again demonstrated his ability as a brilliant finisher in a recent match against the Mumbai Indians, hitting four sixes in his seven-ball innings.
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Pietersen believes that Sharma, who has been performing impressively for both his home club and the IPL, should be given an opportunity if Pant is expected to be absent for a prolonged period. In his Betway column, Pietersen referred to Sharma as a talented player who could be an excellent alternative option for Pant.
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“India has their Rishabh Pant replacement. Jitesh Sharma, the wicket-keeper from Punjab Kings, is also something special. I think he could be the guy who takes over from Rishabh Pant for India if Pant is out for a while longer. His 25 off seven balls, including four sixes, against Mumbai on Saturday was match-winning,” Pietersen stated.
Sharma’s performance in PBKS’ last game against MI was remarkable as he scored 25 runs off seven balls, including four sixes, leading his team to a crucial victory. With Sharma’s potential and remarkable abilities, it remains to be seen whether he will be given a chance to prove himself in the Indian cricket team as a replacement for the injured Pant.