NEW DELHI: When you think of master chasers in limited-overs cricket, the names of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni naturally come to mind. But India wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma has a different perspective and he has a pretty convincing reason behind his pick.

When the question was thrown at Jitesh Sharma - "Who would you trust to chase 24 runs off the last over: MS Dhoni, AB de Villiers, Rohit Sharma, or Virat Kohli?" - he didn't even blink before answering.

"AB de Villiers," he said with conviction, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

In an exclusive chat with Sports Yaari, Jitesh explained the logic behind his quickfire pick - and why, even against the world's best bowlers, his answer wouldn't change.

"I think if you need 24 runs off 6 balls, you need a 360-degree player," Jitesh said. "AB de Villiers is that kind of batter - he can hit you anywhere. Over covers, behind square, straight down the ground - he's got every shot in the book."

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asked if his answer would be the same with Jasprit Bumrah bowling the final over, Jitesh smiled.

"Still AB!" he replied instantly. "No offence to the other three - they're legends - but AB is someone who creates doubt in a bowler's mind. You never know where he's going to hit you next."

Yet, even as he spoke like a cricketer analysing the technical side, a touch of emotion crept in. "If you ask me emotionally, I'd probably say MS Dhoni or Rohit Sharma," Jitesh admitted. "But technically, AB de Villiers is the right choice. He's an all-format player - one of a kind."

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In a fun rapid-fire round, Jitesh had to make some tough choices between cricketing greats - and his answers revealed both his admiration and cricketing logic.

When asked to choose between Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, he picked Dhoni without hesitation. Between Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik, it was again Dhoni. But when Dhoni was pitted against AB de Villiers, Jitesh switched gears, opting for the South African great.

His preference for AB de Villiers continued as he chose him over Kieron Pollard. However, when the final choice came down to AB de Villiers or Rohit Sharma, Jitesh's loyalty shone through - he chose Rohit Sharma.