Bengaluru, April 4 Wicketkeeper batsman Jitesh Sharma said on Saturday that being the vice-captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the overall leadership experience has added a certain edge to his game.
Jitesh was a vital part of RCB's success when they won their maiden IPL title in 2025, scoring 261 runs in the lower order, but his strike-rate of 177 often spurred the team to above-par totals.
"I think whenever you get responsibility, you feel grateful and privileged, and I make extra effort to give something to my team – how can I contribute to RCB," said Jitesh on the eve of the match against Chennai Super Kings here.
"I think that gives you an extra responsibility when you are the vice-captain of the team," he added.
Perhaps, his efforts to improve against fast bowling were part of that thinking.
"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 said.
The 32-year-old said that the tag of defending champions has not changed RCB's mindset, as they are entering the field with the same hunger as last year.
"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.
"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 noted.
RCB had a week-long break after their opening IPL 2025 game on March 28, and Jitesh said the extended gap has not affected the team's intensity.
"On the first day (after the match against SRH), we took a break – swimming, gym, everything. The next day we played a very high-intensity practice game. We tried to create some pressure situations for all the players. What worst situation can come in front of you, you don't know.
"We just tried to replicate whatever can come in front of you. We were tactically and intelligently trying to replicate everything we have done in practice games. So, we are very close to that intensity. So, we are not thinking that our team has a 7-day break. Or a 5-day break. We are training at a high intensity," he explained.
Chennai Super Kings suffered two defeats in as many matches, but Jitesh did not read too much into that.
"We are just focusing 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 beauty of T20 cricket," he said.
Jitesh did not reveal much about the fitness of Josh Hazlewood, who had a light net session here on Saturday evening.
"Right now, I don't have any idea about it. Frankly speaking, I think management will give you the right answer," he said.