It is an ice and fire kind of thing – Jitesh Sharma on the difference of his character on and off the field

Modern day T20 cricket has come a long way from the era of wild experimentation combined with decisions that would otherwise be labelled as downright crazy. It is now about a systematic approach where players need to toe a fine line of balance. Knowing when to switch on and shift gears as per the requisites of the game alongside the ken of when to stay calm has been one of the major shifts as the game has evolved over the years.

Jitesh Sharma, who played an instrumental role in RCB winning the 2025 IPL trophy, opened up at length on the latest episode of Big Basket presents RCB Podcast about how he balances his life on and off the cricket field. He also revealed a few things which have been a major boost for him in terms of calming himself from the ceaseless adrenaline surge on the cricketing field.

Shedding light on the topic, Sharma said, “I think it's all because of my family maybe. Once I come out of the ground, I feel very calm, I feel a very humble and grounded kind of feeling. I can’t describe that kind of feeling. It was just another normal day. Once I get inside the rope, it doesn’t make a difference. I want to give my 100 percent. I want to put my body on the line and do something good for my team. That’s the mindset I've always had since my childhood.”

He further added, “But earlier, I used to bring that aggression off the field too. I used to be very hyper off the field. Off the field, I would always talk about the game. However, slowly as I started playing more cricket, more professional cricket, I got to know that these are two different lives you have to balance somehow. It is an ice and fire kind of thing.”

Sharma underlined a few things that helped him in making the change, adding, “Few spiritual things have helped me calm down. I used to read Bhagavad Gita, a few shlokas and everything. I think trying to be in the present is the most important thing and it’s very difficult to do. But if I think even if you are doing 20-30 percent, I think you can balance those life highs with that, being in the present all the time.”