Overview:
He admits that grief doesn’t come instantly. It settles in slowly, leaving a void that he understands will never fully disappear.
Jitesh Sharma’s omission from the T20 World Cup 2026 squad initially felt like a blow, but it faded against the grief of losing his father. On February 1, Mohan Sharma passed away after a brief illness, allowing Jitesh to cherish his final days with him.
“When I first heard I wasn’t selected, I felt disappointed. I’m only human, and it’s natural to feel sad. But with time, those feelings didn’t last long,” Jitesh told PTI in an exclusive interview.
The emotional strain of missing the global tournament was soon replaced by a much more personal challenge.
“But soon after, my father fell ill and passed away on February 1. I was able to spend seven days with him. That’s when I realized he needed me more than the World Cup. After that, all my sadness, regrets, or anger toward anyone or myself just disappeared,” he said.
With his father gone, the responsibility of being the eldest son has become a defining reality in his life.
“I felt truly grateful that God gave me the chance to spend seven days with my dad, allowing me to take care of him. It was also a unique experience watching the World Cup from home on TV. It’s such a different feeling—there’s more pressure than when you’re actually playing. But overall, I was really happy for the boys,” he added.
“I can never forget that moment, and I don’t want to because he’s no longer here. When you lose your dad, you eventually realize, after a few days, that as the eldest son, you’re now the one responsible for making decisions for the family,” he mentioned.
“Taking care of your mother, brother, and family. I’m someone who can’t show my emotions to them or appear weak, because they’re always watching me, even when I’m playing cricket. I’ve come to accept that.”
He admits that grief doesn’t come instantly. It settles in slowly, leaving a void that he understands will never fully disappear.
“I’ve learned to carry that sorrow and emptiness with me during practice. No matter how hard I try, I can’t forget it because it’s about my father, right? He’s my hero. If he were still alive, he’d tell me to go practice and not worry about him. So whenever I’m in pain or feeling down, I remind myself of what he would have said. I believe he would have encouraged me to go play the game. And I’m really proud of that.
“It takes time to sink in. I’m not exactly coping with it, I’m just accepting that my dad is gone. There’s a part of my heart that’s empty now, and it will remain that way for the rest of my life because of him. But cricket has helped me push forward. I’ve learned to live with the pain while still keeping my focus on my career,” Jitesh shared.
“That’s probably what Rinku Singh felt as well. That’s why he was able to get back on the field. And that’s a really huge thing,” he concluded.