NEW DELHI: Jitesh Sharma admits being left out of India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad was disappointing, but that setback soon felt insignificant compared to the personal loss he suffered soon after. The wicketkeeper-batsman lost his father Mohan Sharma on February 1 after a brief illness, a moment that changed his perspective on everything.“When I got the news of my non-selection, I was a little disheartened. I am also a human being. I can feel sad and bad. But later, as time passes, the sad time gets shorter,” Jitesh told PTI during an exclusive interview.
The disappointment of missing out on the world tournament soon gave way to a much deeper emotional challenge.“But then, my dad got sick. And he passed away on February 1. So I was with him for seven days. Afterwards, I knew that my dad needed me more than the World Cup. After that, I didn’t have any feeling of sadness, any regret or anything for anyone or for myself either. I’m not angry or anything,” he said, sadness evident in his voice.
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Should teams consider more than one goalkeeper in the playing XI?
“I was grateful that God gave me the opportunity to stay with my dad for seven days. So I could take care of him. And I enjoyed watching the World Cup on television at home. It’s a very different feeling. It gives you a lot of pressure instead of playing. And I was very happy for the children.”Without his father, the responsibility of being the eldest son has become a defining part of his life.“I can’t forget that and I don’t want to forget it because he’s not there anymore. When you lose your dad, after a few days you realize that you are now responsible for making decisions in your family as the eldest son.“And that’s it – taking care of your mother, your brother and your family. So, I am someone who cannot show my feelings to them and cannot be weak in front of them because they also look at me while playing cricket. And I have to accept it,” Jitesh said while reflecting on how life sometimes presents its toughest challenges.The pain, he admits, does not come suddenly, but rather settles in gradually, leaving behind a permanent void.“It comes to me after a while. I’m not dealing with anything. I’m just accepting that my dad is no longer there. There is a part of my heart that is empty now. It will be empty until I die because of my dad.”Cricket, however, has also taught him resilience, helping him move forward despite the pain.“And I’ve learned to endure that grief and that emptiness during practice. Because no matter how much I want to, I can’t forget that. Because he’s your father, right? “He is my hero in my life.”“If he were alive today, he would have told me to go to practice. Don’t worry about me. So I always think about this thing that if I’m sad or hurt, what would he have told me? I think he would have suggested that I go play. And I’m very proud of that.”Jitesh also drew parallels with his India teammate Rinku Singh and said he understands the emotional strength required to return to the field after personal setbacks.“That’s the same thing Rinku must have felt. That’s why she was able to get back on the ground. And it’s a big deal.”“Why can’t three goalkeepers play together?”On the cricket front, Jitesh remains pragmatic about team combinations. With batsmen like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan also in the running, he said he would be happy to adapt to any role if it helps the team.“I think about it from a different perspective. I take it from a different perspective: that when doing my own job, why not two goalkeepers are in the playing eleven and the third plays as a finisher? Exactly, that can happen too. Why not?”Learning from Virat KohliJitesh also spoke about the inspiration he gets from watching Virat Kohli up close at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and admitted that matching the former India captain’s intensity is not easy.“Just by watching little things, you can learn a lot. And it can be a life-changing decision or a life-changing observation. Because the way he prepares, starts his day, not just practices, I think is very impressive. Still, I’m 32 years old and I can’t match his energy.”