Jitesh Sharma, previously associated with Vidarbha, is set to join Baroda for the upcoming domestic season. The 31-year-old wicketkeeper-batter did not get any game time during the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy, serving as backup to Vidarbha skipper and first-choice keeper Akshay Wadkar. However, he remained active in white-ball cricket, representing Vidarbha under the leadership of Karun Nair.
Jitesh’s move to Baroda has reportedly been in the pipeline for a while. His strong relationship with Baroda captain Krunal Pandya, his teammate at RCB during their historic IPL 2025 title-winning campaign, played a part in finalising the move.
The switch is seen as an opportunity for Jitesh to revive his red-ball career. Since debuting in the 2015–16 season, he has played only 18 first-class matches, scoring at an average of 24.48 with four fifties. His last appearance in the format came nearly a year and a half ago.
Although his first-class outings have been limited, Jitesh has made notable strides in T20 cricket. After a breakout season with Punjab Kings in 2023, he earned a T20I debut for India during the 2023 Asian Games. He has since represented the national side in nine T20Is.
In IPL 2025, Jitesh emerged as a vital finisher for RCB, registering his first IPL half-century. In the match against Lucknow Super Giants, he smacked an unbeaten 85 runs as that knock played a key role in RCB securing a top-two finish. He also served as vice-captain under Rajat Patidar and took over the charge of the team when the captain was sidelined due to injury.
Swapnil Singh on his way to Tripura
Meanwhile, Jitesh's RCB teammate Swapnil Singh is on the verge of a move to Tripura. He recently played domestic cricket for Uttarakhand in the 2024–25 season, claiming 18 wickets in five Ranji Trophy matches, although his performances in white-ball cricket were less impactful.
Interestingly, the all-rounder was acquired via the Right to Match (RTM) card at the last IPL mega auction, but didn’t feature in a single game for RCB in the season. Very recently, he played for Chepauk Super Gilles in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL).