RCB’s new recruit Jitesh Sharma opened up on the prospect of playing under the captaincy of Virat Kohli in the 2025 edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).

Jitesh hit the pay dirt at the mega auction last week and was roped in for a hefty sum of INR 11 crore by the Bengaluru-based franchise.

The wicketkeeper-batter was in big demand during the grand auction in Jeddah, and RCB broke the bank for him to fill in the shoes of Dinesh Karthik, who announced his retirement after last season and re-joined the side as a mentor.

Rumours are rife that Kohli will take over RCB’s captaincy as they didn't sign any high-profile star at the mega auction. The franchise, however, is yet to reveal its final decision on next season's skipper.

In an exclusive chat with the Times of India, Jitesh Sharma expressed his excitement about playing under Kohli if the latter indeed take over the leadership.

"It will be great to play under Virat Kohli. I would love to play under him because he is so energetic and enthusiastic—it can push my limits. A person who is always involved in the game can inspire me to push my game further. think I’ll try to learn from Kohli’s consistency and how he has kept himself fit and motivated over all these years," Jitesh said.

Jitesh caught the attention of as many as five franchises in the mega auction. His former team Punjab Kings also exercised the RTM card on him but RCB accepted their final bid for INR 11 crore to fetch him.

The 31-year-old is grateful to join RCB as he feels it's a perfect team for him to play. "I wasn’t expecting anything from the auction. I was just hoping and praying to join a good team where I could play freely and express myself. I am incredibly grateful and thankful to God that I went to RCB—it feels like the perfect team for me," he remarked.

(With TOI Inputs)