Nitish Rana Eyes Delhi Comeback After Disappointing Uttar Pradesh Stint

After a two-year sojourn with Uttar Pradesh, Nitish Rana, the 31-year-old cricketer, is poised to make a comeback to Delhi for the upcoming domestic season.

Nitish Rana in action for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.

Rana, a former captain of Delhi, had initially made the move to UP in 2023. His childhood coach, Sanjay Bharadwaj, revealed the reasoning behind the return, quoting Rana as saying, "Apna ghar toh apna hi hota hai (Nothing comes close to your home)."

Bharadwaj told TimesofIndia.com, "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." He added, "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." Bharadwaj has also played a key role in shaping the careers of prominent cricketers like Gautam Gambhir, Amit Mishra, Joginder Sharma, Unmukt Chand, and Priyansh Arya.

Rana's performance in the 2024-25 domestic season for Uttar Pradesh was lackluster. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he only managed to score 111 runs in nine games. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he only appeared in two List A matches, scoring a mere 17 runs before being dropped. After a series of low scores, he was also removed from the Ranji Trophy team, having scored just 150 runs in four games.

While his return to Delhi doesn't automatically guarantee him a spot in the team, the left-handed batsman is set to participate in the second season of the Delhi Premier League (DPL), which will feature eight teams this year.

A source close to 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. 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 underwhelming. Despite being bought for a substantial Rs 4.20 crore in the auction, he only scored 217 runs in 11 outings for the Royals.

It remains to be seen how Rana will be received upon his return to the Delhi squad, especially considering his heated 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 after the situation escalated.