Jitesh Sharma (Video grab) NEW DELHI: India batsman Jitesh Sharma created a stir with his candid remarks on Pakistan as he gave a straight assessment of the arch-rivals ahead of IPL 2026 while discussing the mental side of high-pressure clashes.In a podcast with Ranveer Allahbadia, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru finisher looked into whether the Indian players get emotional when they face Pakistan. “Wahi control karne ki baat hai (that’s what we have to control),” he said, stressing the importance of poise in meetings with the marquis.
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IPL 2026: Shubman Gill hits back at critics – ‘I don’t need to prove my worth’ Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!But it was his unfiltered view of how India now views Pakistan that caught the attention. “Nahi, it’s a child hi nahi importance unko. Itna dil pe aur dimaag pe lagate hi nahi hai (We don’t attach so much importance to them),” said Jitesh, laughing during the interview.He went a step further when comparing the opposition sides, stating that teams like Australia and South Africa pose a greater challenge. “South Africa, Australia are challenging teams because they play good cricket. Yeh log (Pakistan) cricket nahi khel rahe hai achcha,” he added.Playing without emotionJitesh also revealed the attitude instilled by head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of the big matches against Pakistan. “We don’t have to play with emotions. Emotion se khelenge toh we can also lose. So, let’s win the game and phir uske baat jo expression karna hai karenge,” he said.He explained that the emphasis is on staying composed during the game and letting the performance do the talking before the celebrations.
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Moments and reactions on the pitchReflecting on the moment on the field, Jitesh spoke of emulating Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed’s celebrations along with teammates Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana after the Asia Cup clash. “Isne Sanju bhai ko out karke aisa kiya. Toh woh cheez hum logon ko pasand nahi aayi toh, humne woh kiya (He did it after he fired Sanju Samson and we didn’t like it, so we brought it back),” he explained.At the start of IPL 2026, when Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opener, Jitesh’s remarks have already added spice to the build-up – offering a rare insight into how modern Indian players approach one of cricket’s most intense rivalries.
