Jitesh Sharma's nightmare IPL 2026 campaign shows no signs of letting up, and former India star Ambati Rayudu has sounded the alarm over the Royal Challengers Bangalore wicketkeeper-batter's alarming technical flaws.

Just one season after being one of RCB's brightest sparks, Jitesh has hit a brutal form slump. Through his first seven innings this year, he's managed just 63 runs—a far cry from the explosive finisher who lit up IPL 2025. His average has plummeted to around 10.40, and his strike rate has taken a serious hit, leaving fans and pundits scratching their heads.

The franchise had every reason to be confident when they retained Jitesh as their first-choice gloveman after his stellar 2025 showing. That season, he smashed 261 runs at a blistering strike rate of 176.35, including a jaw-dropping 85 not out off just 33 balls against Lucknow Super Giants. That knock broke MS Dhoni's record for the highest score by a No. 6 or lower batter in a successful IPL chase and helped RCB finish second on the table.

But fast forward to 2026, and the script has flipped completely. In a high-pressure chase of 213 against the same opposition at the same venue, Jitesh managed just 1 run off 3 balls. RCB fell nine runs short via the DLS method, and his dismissal drew sharp criticism for poor game awareness in a crunch moment.

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo's Timeout show, Rayudu didn't hold back. "I think he had a great opportunity to come back sharp after the small break that they had, but he just seems to be getting late on short balls," Rayudu said. "That's an area he could have worked on in this gap, and I don't think he did. The same thing is happening again and again."

For a player whose game is built on pace and aggression, being late on short deliveries is a worrying sign—especially in the IPL, where bowlers are constantly testing batters with pace and bounce. With limited practice time between matches, fixing that flaw won't be easy. For RCB, who rely on Jitesh to provide late-order fireworks, this is a growing concern that could define their season.