IPL 2026: Jitesh Sharma takes U-turn on 'unprofessional' remark, says Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 'is like...'

Star Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma stirred controversy after labeling Rajasthan Royals (RR) star prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as "unprofessional" while discussing his off-field personality.

Jitesh takes U-turn on "unprofessional" remark

Now, the RCB batter has come up with a justification about his earlier remark on the star left-handed batter, saying that statement had been misunderstood as it was just a reflection of the close bond he shares with the 15-year-old RR batter.

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A few time back, Jitesh had an interaction with RCB icon AB de Villiers, where he jokingly called Sooryavanshi unprofessional because of his off-field activities. In a recent RCB podcast, Jitesh clarified his stance saying that his words were not meant to hurt Sooryvanshi.

“He is a very good friend of mine. We are very close, and I can call him anything."

Further speaking, Jitesh described Vaibhav as a kid who loves to eat ice cream, saying he is just 15-years-old and he must embrace everything about it.

“He is a 15-year-old kid who loves ice cream. He comes to my room and eats it with me; I don’t eat it, but he does. If a child doesn’t want ice cream, what else would they have? He visits our house, speaks with my wife, and watches videos on YouTube. We are very close – he’s like my younger brother," added Jitesh.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's strong form in IPL 2026

The star left-handed opener has created havoc in the ongoing IPL 2026, becoming the fastest player to score 400 runs in a single season, reaching the milestone in just nine innings and 167 deliveries.

Currently, he stands at fourth in the list of highest run-getters with 404 runs in ten games at an average of 40.40 with a monstrous strike rate of 237.64. It will be interesting to see if he can conclude the season on a high note.