NEW DELHI: If Royal Challengers Bengaluru managed to end their 18-year-long wait for the Indian Premier League trophy, it was largely due to the inclusion of Jitesh Sharma, who played several vital knocks lower down the order to seal matches in RCB's favour.

Even in the final, the right-handed batter smashed 24 off just 10 balls to help them post 190 - a total that ultimately proved decisive, as RCB clinched the match by a narrow margin of six runs against Punjab Kings.

The batter, who was part of India's victorious campaigns in the Asia Cup and the T20I series against Australia, did not initially make it into the playing XI. However, when given a chance, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands, scoring an unbeaten 22 off 13 balls in the third T20I against Australia and showcasing his worth.

Speaking exclusively to Sports Yaari, Jitesh opened up about his IPL journey, his bond with teammates, the wicketkeepers he admires, and why he chose Rohit Sharma over Virat Kohli during the rapid-fire round.

Sports Yaari's Priyanshu Nawani decided to test him with a few quick bouncers - not from a bowler this time, but from the rapid-fire round.

"Rohit bhai - because I'm emotionally connected with him. When I was in the IPL in 2017, I had an interaction with him, and I saw him play live for the first time. For a young player, that leaves a mark. I was around 22 or 23 when I got selected for Mumbai Indians, so that's why I said Rohit Sharma. He brings a different set of skills altogether," he said.

"You can't really compare anyone with Virat bhai - he's one of a kind, a person born once in millions, with that kind of dedication. But since Rohit bhai comes from Maharashtra, I feel a bit of a connection with him - that's the only reason," Jitesh added.

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When give an option to choose between MS Dhoni, AB de Villiers, Rohit Sharma, or Virat Kohli while 24 runs needed off the last over. Jitesh didn't even take a second.

"AB de Villiers," he said with conviction. "I think if you need 24 runs off 6 balls, you need a 360 degree player."

But what if Bumrah is the bowler? "Still AB!" Jitesh replied instantly, before adding, "No offence to the other three - they're legends -but AB is someone who creates doubt in your mind as a bowler. He can hit you over covers, behind square, anywhere. He's an all-format player. I'm answering as a cricketer here. Emotionally, maybe I'd say MS Dhoni or Rohit Sharma - but technically, AB de Villiers is the right choice."

"My Keeping Idol? Always Adam Gilchrist."

The next question took Jitesh back to his early cricketing inspirations. Between Adam Gilchrist and MS Dhoni, who was his favourite keeper-batter?

This time, he smiled a little wider. "Gilchrist," he said fondly. "Main unki keeping ka bahut bada deewana hoon. I used to watch his live matches just to see his wicketkeeping. I admired his keeping even more than his batting."

He continued, "The way he used to take those diving catches so effortlessly - it was unbelievable. And keeping to Shane Warne, from that rough area, was incredible. My inspiration for keeping has always been Adam Gilchrist."