Jitesh Sharma enjoys ‘healthy competition’ with Sanju Samson for the wicketkeeper’s spot

CUTTACK: Shubman Gill’s ascendancy to the vice-captaincy in T20Is changed many dynamics in the Indian team. As the Punjab batter made a comeback in the first T20I against South Africa, wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was made to sit out.While Samson’s usual opening slot was taken up by Gill, the other ’keeper-batter in the squad, Jitesh Sharma, was once again preferred over Samson for the finisher’s role. It certainly looks like Jitesh has the backing of the team management now.

So Samson, India’s leading run-scorer in T20Is last year with 436 runs and three tons from 13 games, has to warm the bench. With nine games left before the T20 World Cup on home soil, Jitesh believes the healthy competition between him and Samson has kept him on his toes and helped him perform better. “I’m very grateful that he (Samson) is in the team and I’m under him. Frankly speaking, he’s like an elder brother to me. Because of the healthy competition, your talent comes out. There’s so much talent in this team. You can feel that Sanju bhaiya is out and I’m playing,” said Jitesh. “He’s a great player. If you’ve to compete against him and play shoulder to shoulder, I have to bring my ‘A’ game. We are like brothers. We share lots of experiences with each other.

He helps me a lot whenever I do ’keeping or batting,” he added. “There is role clarity whether I will bat in the middle or lower down the order. Whatever opportunity I get, I’ll try to control it as much as I can. I know what is expected of me and I’m enjoying that,” said the Maharashtra player, who remained not out on 10 from five balls with a six on Tuesday and shared a 38 run unbroken stand with Hardik Pandya.“I’ve been doing the role of a finisher in IPL too, and for the last two-three series, that’s my bread and butter,” he said