Nitish Rana Eyes Delhi Return After Disappointing Uttar Pradesh Stint

Nitish Rana, the 31-year-old cricketer, is expected to return to Delhi for the upcoming domestic season, two years after his move to Uttar Pradesh.

Nitish Rana in action for Rajasthan Royals during an IPL match

"Apna ghar toh apna hi hota hai (Nothing comes close to your home)," Rana's childhood coach, Sanjay Bharadwaj, told TimesofIndia.com, highlighting the sentiment behind the cricketer's return. Bharadwaj confirmed that Rana would indeed be playing for Delhi this season. He had previously advised Rana against leaving, noting that his time with Uttar Pradesh was not particularly successful. "As a professional cricketer, you have too much pressure," Bharadwaj added.

Bharadwaj believes this is a strategic move for Rana, who developed his game in Delhi from a young age and earned his first India call-up while representing the city. He also mentored prominent players like Gautam Gambhir and Amit Mishra.

Rana's performance in the 2024-25 domestic season for Uttar Pradesh was underwhelming. He scored only 111 runs in nine Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches and a mere 17 runs in two Vijay Hazare Trophy List A games before being dropped. His Ranji Trophy performance was also poor, with just 150 runs in four matches.

While his return doesn't automatically guarantee him a spot in the Delhi side, the left-handed batsman will participate in the second season of the Delhi Premier League (DPL), featuring eight teams.

A source familiar with the situation stated, "This is not a dump station. When he asked for the No Objection Certificate (NOC) in 2023, we had requested him to stay and play for Delhi." The source emphasized that Rana would need to earn his place in the team, and there were no immediate guarantees.

Rana's IPL 2025 season with the Rajasthan Royals was also unremarkable, as he scored only 217 runs in 11 matches, despite being bought for a significant Rs 4.20 crore.

The reception Rana receives upon his return to the Delhi team will be something to watch, especially considering his past altercation with Delhi captain Ayush Badoni during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarterfinals last year. The umpires had to intervene to separate the two players during the heated exchange.