India national cricket team and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma has openly taken a dig at the Pakistan national cricket team while sharing the behind-the-scenes story from the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE.
Jitesh Sharma is currently preparing to make a splash in IPL 2026 with the current champions. RCB will start the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Bengaluru. Ahead of the opening of IPL 2026, he already made headlines with his bold comments on Pakistan.
Jitesh Sharma made a big attack on Pakistan
The RCB star has emphasized that there is no comparison between India and Pakistan and the credit for this goes to the IPL. He told that IPL has changed everything for Indian players.
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Jitesh said the constant pressure, huge crowds and world-class opponents in the IPL prepare him so well that international matches, especially against Pakistan, seem very easy to him.
“There is no comparison, no chance. Yes, IPL is the big reason. Because of IPL, we got a chance to feel higher pressure. When we go to represent at the international level, it is just as easy. We feel at ease there,” Jitesh Sharma said on Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast on YouTube.
Jitesh Sharma reveals the story behind Abrar Ahmed’s viral joke
The Indian star also revealed the real story behind the viral video where he, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Sanju Samson jokingly imitated Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed’s celebration by bowing his head after India won the Asia Cup 2025 title.
Abrar had dismissed Samson earlier and made his trademark gesture towards the Indian dugout, which did not go unnoticed inside the Indian camp.
Jitesh said the players were waiting for the right moment and once they won the final by five wickets, they recreated Ahmed’s celebration to make fun of him.
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He also shared how Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir reminded the players not to get emotional during Pakistan matches and to save all reactions for after the win.
Jitesh said, “Obviously, we notice everything, because we were not playing the match; I was not playing the match. We used to notice it. But Gautam sir said that we don’t have to play with emotions. If we play with emotions, we can make mistakes. So, let’s win the game, then after that we can express whatever we want.”
‘We don’t give them that much importance’
When Jitesh was asked whether the coach gives him a little mentality training before the match against Pakistan, he said that the team does not pay any extra attention to Pakistan at all. He said: “No, we don’t give them that much importance.”
The RCB star also admitted that teams like South Africa and Australia are more challenging than Pakistan because they play good cricket and have higher skills and better pressure handling skills.
“Yes. Obviously, they are challenging teams. Because they play good cricket. They (Pakistan) don’t play good cricket recently. That’s all,” Jitesh said.