Jitesh Sharma’s unbeaten 85 off 33 balls against LSG in IPL 2025 is being hailed as the best knock of the season by Tom Moody. His power-packed performance led RCB to a record-breaking chase and secured a top-two finish ahead of the playoffs.
In what is being hailed as the finest innings of the IPL 2025 season, Jitesh Sharma’s unbeaten 85 off just 33 balls led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a stunning six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The match, played at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, saw RCB successfully chase down a daunting target of 228 — the third-highest successful run chase in their IPL history.
Jitesh’s knock, which included six towering sixes and eight blistering boundaries, came at a critical time for RCB, especially after early setbacks with Virat Kohli and Phil Salt back in the dugout. His composure under pressure and aggressive strokeplay powered RCB to a top-two finish, setting up a clash with Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1. Notably, RCB also became the first team in IPL history to win all seven away games in a single season.
Former Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Tom Moody was full of praise for Jitesh’s performance, calling it “the innings of the IPL this season by a stretch.” Speaking on ESPNCricinfo, Moody emphasized the match situation and adversity RCB faced, noting how Jitesh “just took the game apart” despite a “significant headwind.”
“What impressed me was not just the power but the intelligence in his innings. It was like he had done it many times before — calm, calculated, and commanding,” Moody added.
Former India batter Abhinav Mukund also lauded the young batter, particularly highlighting how Jitesh learned from RCB’s previous loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. In that game, RCB collapsed after a strong start, something Jitesh was determined not to repeat.
Mukund noted the slices of fortune Jitesh enjoyed — surviving a run-out, benefiting from a no-ball reprieve, and narrowly escaping another run-out attempt. “Luck is a beautiful thing, but what’s more important is how you capitalize on it. Jitesh did just that,” he said.
The innings has not only bolstered RCB’s campaign but also reinforced Jitesh’s reputation as a dependable and explosive middle-order batter, delivering when it mattered most. On a night when LSG captain and World Cup-winning wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant scored a century, Jitesh’s 85 off 33 arguably outshone even that feat.
