Nitish Rana Eyes Delhi Return After Disappointing Uttar Pradesh Stint OR Homecoming: Nitish Rana Set to Rejoin Delhi Cricket After UP Struggles OR Nitish Rana Poised for Delhi Comeback Amid Performance Concerns

Nitish Rana Set to Rejoin Delhi After Two-Year Stint in Uttar Pradesh

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

Nitish Rana pictured playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.

"Apna ghar toh apna hi hota hai (Nothing comes close to your home)," stated Sanjay Bharadwaj, Rana's childhood coach, highlighting the emotional aspect of his return. Bharadwaj confirmed that Rana will indeed represent Delhi this season. He also mentioned advising Rana against leaving Delhi initially, pointing out his less-than-stellar season with Uttar Pradesh. "As a professional cricketer, you have too much pressure," Bharadwaj added.

Bharadwaj believes this is a smart move for Rana, emphasizing that Delhi is where he developed his game from the age-group level and even earned his first India call-up. He also mentioned that he has shaped the careers of Gautam Gambhir, Amit Mishra, Joginder Sharma, Unmukt Chand, and Priyansh Arya.

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

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

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 further emphasized that Rana will need to earn his place in the team, and there are no immediate guarantees of playing time.

Rana's performance in the IPL 2025 for the Rajasthan Royals was also below expectations, as he only managed 217 runs in 11 outings despite being bought for a significant sum of Rs 4.20 crore.

The circumstances of Rana's return to the Delhi team will be interesting to observe, especially considering his heated argument 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 confrontation.