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2 min readApr 4, 2026 08:46 PM IST
Jitesh Sharma of Royal Challengers Bengaluru hits over the top for six during match 37 of the Indian Premier League.
(Photo: Sportzpics for IPL)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) vice captain Jitesh Sharma said that the franchise is not defending the Indian Premier League title which they won in 2025 but rather defending it. “Irrelevant, Frankly speaking. Mo Bobat, our director, clearly said we are not defending (the title). We are chasing the title. We are hungry like we were last year. Lots of people have forgotten that we are champions,” Jitesh said on Saturday ahead of RCB’s match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
“This is a new season. We have to start a new game and take one game at a time. But we have that confidence that we have achieved something. With that confidence, we are just going forward,” he added.
Sharma, who was a vital cog in RCB’s title-winning campaign last year said that being the vice-captain and the whole leadership experience has added a certain edge to his game.
“I think whenever you get the responsibility, you feel grateful and privileged and I take extra effort to give something to my team and how can I contribute to RCB. I think that gives you an extra responsibility when you are vice-captain of the team,” he said.
“I am working against fast bowlers. I think as a player, there is always scope (to improve). No one is perfect in this world. I think improving is the key for every successful player,” he added.
Chennai Super Kings crashed to two defeats in as many matches, but Jitesh did not read too much into that.
“We are just focussing on our own process rather than thinking about what they (CSK) have done in the last one week. You cannot judge it like that. It’s all about the day. It can be anyone’s day. A player can score runs or can take a fifer. That’s the T20’s beauty,” he said.
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