Nagpur, May 28 (IANS) Ahead of the new Vidarbha Premier League (VPL) season, NECO Master Blaster captain Jitesh Sharma, the reigning T20 champions, expressed his views on the challenges of defending a title, the mindset needed for ongoing success, and his hopes for the players this season.

Having led the franchise to victory last season, Jitesh believes that defending a championship presents a entirely different mental challenge than pursuing one.

“Defending the title gives extra unnecessary load and unnecessary attention towards winning the cup. I think chasing something always gives you a thought of what next move we should plan. It changes your mindset,” said Jitesh.

“When you go for a win or chase a trophy, you always plan to win the game. But defending a title, 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 wicketkeeper-batter emphasized that maintaining consistency and discipline is crucial for the team to replicate last season’s success.

“I think doing the same boring thing again and again,” Jitesh remarked while explaining the process behind sustained success.

As captain, Jitesh delivered a powerful message to his teammates before Season 2, emphasising the significance of freedom, fearlessness, and trust in the team dynamic.

“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 on behalf of 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.

The NECO Master Blaster captain also stated that his priority isn’t just about winning. Instead, he emphasizes helping players grow both as cricketers and as individuals throughout 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 skillful, more mentally strong, more physically strong. And you can say they are more courageous to take more risk in this league. That’s what I am expecting,” Jitesh added.

NECO Master Blaster will compete in VPL T20 2026 as reigning champions, boasting a robust squad that combines seasoned players and promising young talent. In addition to the men’s team, the franchise’s women’s team also aims to make a significant impact in the upcoming season.

Squad: 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.

–IANS

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