Nitish Rana Set for Delhi Return After Disappointing Uttar Pradesh Stint

After two years with Uttar Pradesh, Nitish Rana, the 31-year-old cricketer, is expected to rejoin Delhi for the upcoming domestic season.

Nitish Rana pictured playing for the Rajasthan Royals.

Rana, a former Delhi captain, initially made the move to UP in 2023. His childhood coach, Sanjay Bharadwaj, revealed the reasoning behind the homecoming to TimesofIndia.com, quoting Rana as saying, "There's no place like home."

Bharadwaj added, "Yes, he will be playing for Delhi this season. I had asked him not to move out then also. He didn't have a great season with Uttar Pradesh. As a professional cricketer, you have too much pressure."

Bharadwaj, who has mentored prominent players like Gautam Gambhir and Amit Mishra, believes this is a strategic decision. "It is a wise decision from him that he is returning to Delhi. This is where he has played all his cricket, right from the age-group level. He even got his first India call-up while playing for Delhi. It is a smart move," he stated.

Rana's performance in the 2024-25 domestic season for Uttar Pradesh was lackluster. 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 disappointing, with just 150 runs in four matches.

However, a spot in the Delhi side isn't guaranteed. The left-handed batsman will participate in the second season of the Delhi Premier League (DPL), now featuring eight teams.

A source familiar with the situation emphasized the competitive nature of the Delhi team. "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 said. "He will have to earn his spot. There is no guarantee that he will get a chance right away."

Rana's IPL 2025 season with the Rajasthan Royals was also unremarkable. Despite being acquired for a substantial Rs 4.20 crore, he only managed 217 runs in 11 innings.

Adding to the complexity of his return, Rana was involved in a heated altercation with Delhi captain Ayush Badoni during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarterfinals last year, requiring intervention from the umpires. It remains to be seen how Rana will be received within the Delhi setup.