RCB captain changes his team ahead of new season

Before the beginning of the new season in Indian cricket, an Indian cricketer, who led Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has changed his domestic cricket team. 

Jitesh Sharma moves from Vidarbha to Baroda

The 31-year-old Indian cricketer Jitesh Sharma, who led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in two matches during the IPL 2025, where they created history by winning their first trophy, has changed his domestic cricket team from Vidarbha to Baroda. 

Although the wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma served for Vidarbha in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season, he wasn't selected in any playing XIs in the last Ranji Trophy season, as the first-choice wicketkeeper for his team was Akshay Wadkar. 

 

Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) Secretary Ajit Lele recently confirmed ETV Bharat, "Yes both the players, Jitesh and Rasikh, will be playing for Baroda from the next domestic season." The 25-year-old right-arm pacer Rasikh Salam previously served for Jammu and Kashmir.

According to media reports, Jitesh Sharma's recent decision to change the domestic cricket team was due to his close friendship with Baroda captain Krunal Pandya, who is a teammate of his in the IPL franchise RCB. 

See Also: IPL 2026 Trade News: KKR likely to swap star batter with SRH

Jitesh Sharma's career

After making his senior domestic cricket debut in February 2014, Jitesh has played 56 List A games and 141 T20Is, along with only 18 first-class matches, the format where he made his debut in October 2015. He has played nine T20Is for India after making his international cricket debut in October 2023. In his T20I career, Jitesh has scored 100 runs.

With 261 runs in 11 innings (15 matches), Jitesh Sharma was the fourth-highest run-scorer for IPL 2025 champions RCB, with an average of 37.28 and a strike rate of 176.35, including one half-century, which was match-winning 85 not out off 33 balls against Lucknow Super Giants.