Jitesh Sharma reveals he learnt about T20 World Cup omission only after squad announcement: ‘It was heartbreaking’

Jitesh Sharma expressed disappointment over his omission from the ICC T20 World Cup squad, learning about it only when the team was announced.

Jitesh Sharma has opened up on the moment he realised his ICC T20 World Cup dream has slipped away, admitting he only found out about his omission when the squad was made public.

Gautam Gambhir and Jitesh Sharma during a training session ahead of the third T20I. (PTI)

Recalling the snub in an interaction with CricTracker, Jitesh said, “I wasn’t aware of my omission until the squad was announced. After that, I agreed with the explanation given by the selectors in the press conference; it was a valid reason. Later, I had discussions with the coaches and selectors, and I felt their reasoning was fair. I completely understood what they wanted to explain to me, and I agreed with it.”

For a player who had spent months trying to cement his place as a middle-order enforcer and a wicketkeeping option, the timing hurt, Jitesh had been around the national set-up through phases where India kept looking for clarity in the middle order, and he believed he was doing enough to stay in the picture. But selection, as underlines, is not always a simple scoreboard reward.

“It was heartbreaking, as I had worked very hard to play in the ICC T20 World Cup. But that is destiny, I can’t deny it. At that moment, I was numb and couldn’t process anything. Spending time with my family and talking to Dinesh Karthik helped me move forward,” Jitesh Sharma added.

His words capture two sides of elite sport that rarely sit together comfortably - acceptance and ache. On one hand, Jitesh insists he understood the selectors’ logic once it was explained to him, calling the reasoning fair and the press conference explanation valid. On the other, he doesn’t disguise how brutal the immediate aftermath felt, describing himself as numb when the news landed.

The reference to Dinesh Karthik is especially telling. Few Indian cricketers in recent years have understood the psychology of finishing in T20I cricket - the pressure of few balls, smaller margins, and relentless judgement. Jitesh’s acknowledgement suggests the conversations weren’t just about technique, but about rebuilding confidence after rejection and finding a way to keep the hunger intact.

Jitesh’s response also reflects a broader reality in Indian cricket’s selection race: a single tournament cycle can flip roles quickly, and backups can become first-choice - and then replaced again, in the space of weeks. For him, the World Cup door has shut for now, but the tone of his remarks suggests he isn’t carrying bitterness. He is, instead, trying to do what most players are forced to do in silence, absorb the disappointment, accept the logic, and start again.