Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma credited Suryakumar Yadav as one of his inspirations, drawing parallels with the Mumbai star's late entry into international cricket and his now becoming the T20I captain. Much like Surya, Jitesh spent seasons grinding it out on the domestic circuit before finally earning his shot in the national team. Suryakumar made his international debut when he was 30 years old, and he made a massive impact with a six on the first ball he faced by playing an astonishing hook shot off Jofra Archer's delivery. Almost three years later, he went on to become India's T20I captain, taking over charge from Rohit Sharma.
Meanwhile, Jitesh was 29 when he made his India debut at the Asian Games. He has played 9 T20Is for India so far and has now been picked in the upcoming Asia Cup squad. Jitesh regards Surya as a true inspiration, showing that it's never too late to shine. Debuting internationally at 31, Suryakumar has become one of the finest T20I batsmen, known for reading the field expertly and dismantling bowling attacks with ease, giving hope to all late bloomers.
"Surya bhai is an inspiration for so many people. He made his international debut at 31. It gives lots of hope for all the late bloomers. He is one of the best T20I batters in the world. He can manipulate the field, he can tear apart any bowling attack," Jitesh told Times of India.
Jitesh hails his skipper as a "storehouse of talent" and shares how he constantly tries to learn from him, often attempting to emulate his skills. While he initially focused on copying, Jitesh has grown confident in executing those shots himself, proudly recalling hitting a memorable "Surya special" during the IPL final.
"Wo talent ke bhandaar hai, mai unse seekhne ki koshish karta rehta hoon, unko copy karne ki koshish karta hoon (He is a storehouse of talent; I keep trying to learn from him and often try to emulate him). I used to copy him a lot. But now I have started to execute the shots as well. Ek Supla aaya IPL final mey (I managed to hit one Surya special in the IPL final)," he added.