NEW DELHI: Jitesh Sharma admits being left out of India’s ICC men’s T20 World Cup squad was disappointing, but the setback soon felt insignificant compared to the personal loss he suffered shortly afterwards. The wicket-keeper batsman lost his father Mohan Sharma after a brief illness on February 1, a moment that changed his outlook on everything.“When I got the news of my non-selection, I was a bit dejected. I am also human. I feel sad and bad. But later, as time goes by, the sad time gets shorter,” Jitesh told PTI during an exclusive interview.
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The disappointment of missing out on the global tournament soon gave way to a much deeper emotional challenge.“But later my dad got sick. And he died on February 1. So I was with him for seven days. After that, I found out that dad needed me more than the World Cup. After that, I didn’t have any sad feeling, no regret or anything for anyone or myself. I’m not angry or anything,” he said with sadness in his voice.“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 loved watching the World Cup on TV at home. It’s a completely different feeling. They put more pressure on you than playing. And I was very happy for the boys.”When his father passed away, the responsibility of being the eldest son became a defining part of his life.“I can’t forget that thing and I don’t want to forget that thing because it’s not there anymore. When you lose your dad, after a few days you realize that now as the eldest son you are responsible for making decisions in your family.”“And that’s it – take care of your mother, brother and family. So I’m someone who can’t show them my feelings and can’t be weak in front of them because they also look at me when they play cricket. And I have to accept that,” said Jitesh, reflecting on how life sometimes brings the toughest challenges.Grief, he admits, doesn’t come all at once, but gradually settles in, leaving behind a lasting void.“After a while it hits. I’m not dealing with anything. I’m just coming to terms with the fact that my dad isn’t there anymore. A part of my heart is empty now. It’s going to be empty because of my dad until I die.”However, cricket also taught him resilience and helped him move forward despite the pain.“And I’ve learned to bear that sadness and emptiness during practice. Because no matter how much I want, no matter how much I want, I can’t forget it. Because he’s your father, right? He’s my hero for my life.”“If he was alive today, he would tell me to go and practice. Don’t worry about me. So I always remember this thing, when I’m sad or in pain, what would he say to me? I think he would suggest that I go play a game. And I’m very proud of that.”Jitesh also drew parallels with his India teammate Rinku Singh, saying 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 he was able to get down to earth again. And it’s a very big thing.”“Why can’t the three guards play together?”On the cricket front, Jitesh remains pragmatic about team combinations. With batsmen like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan also in contention, 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 if I’m doing my own job, why wouldn’t two goalkeepers be in the playing XI and the third one not play as a finisher? That’s right, that can happen. 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.“You can learn a lot just by observing small things. And it can be a life-changing decision or a life-changing insight. Because the way he prepares, starts his day, not just working out, I think is very impressive. Still, I’m 32 and I can’t match his energy.”
