VPL: Defending title brings unnecessary load, says Jitesh Sharma

'Defending the title gives extra unnecessary load,' says NECO Master Blaster captain Jitesh Sharma ahead of VPL. He contrasts the mindset of defending with chasing, urging his players to be fearless and focus on improving as cricketers.

Mindset of a Champion

Ahead of the upcoming season of the Vidarbha Premier League (VPL), T20 defending champions NECO Master Blaster captain Jitesh Sharma shared his thoughts on the pressure of defending a title, the mindset required to stay successful, and his expectations from the players this season. Having led the franchise to glory in last season, Jitesh believes that defending a championship brings a completely different mental challenge compared to chasing one.

"Defending the title gives extra unnecessary load, unnecessary attention towards winning the cup. I think chasing something always gives you a thought of what the next move we should plan. It changes your mindset," said Jitesh Sharma. "When you go for a win or chase a trophy, you always plan to win the game. But defending a title, if you think, it gives you a thought that I don't want to lose. I don't want to lose this trophy. If you think about how to win, it makes a huge difference in your mindset," he added.

The Formula for Sustained Success

Speaking about what the team needs to do in order to repeat last season's success, the wicketkeeper-batter stressed the importance of consistency and discipline. "I think doing the same boring thing again and again," Jitesh remarked while explaining the process behind sustained success.

'Be Fearless, I Will Back You'

As captain, Jitesh also had a strong message for his teammates ahead of Season 2, highlighting the importance of freedom, fearlessness, and trust within the squad environment. "Be natural, be fearless. Irrespective of performance, I will back you and I trust that whatever decision you will take on the ground, it will be behalf for the team and I will respect it. And if you fail, still you will have my back. If you get success, still you will have my slap," he said.

Focus on Growth, Not Just Results

The NECO Master Blaster skipper also revealed that his focus is not solely on results, but on ensuring players evolve as cricketers and individuals during the course of the tournament. "I will give a very simple answer. I just want players to improve by 2%, 3% in this league. That's it. I am not expecting too much from them. I just want that in the last league, in the last matches, as a person, as a cricketer, they are getting 10% improved now," he said.

"Rather than thinking about performance, they should be more skilful, more mentally strong, more physically strong. And you can say they are more courageous to take more risks in this league. That's what I am expecting," Jitesh added.

NECO Master Blaster Squad

NECO Master Blaster will enter VPL T20 2026 as defending champions with a strong squad featuring a blend of experienced performers and exciting young talent. Alongside the men's side, the franchise's women's team will also be aiming to make a strong impact in the upcoming season.

Squad Men's Team: Jitesh Sharma, Adhyayan Daga, Aryan Meshram, Shanmesh Deshmukh, Ananmay Jayaswal, Vedant Dighade, Vaibhav Chandekar, Abhishek Gupta, Shantanu Rajput, Dipesh Parwani, Harsh Dubey, Avinash Jadhav, Arya Durugkar, Gaurav Dhoble, Gaurav Farde, Kush Khandelwal. (ANI)

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