Nitish Rana Eyes Delhi Return After Disappointing Uttar Pradesh Stint

After a two-year period with Uttar Pradesh, Nitish Rana, the 31-year-old cricketer, is likely to return to Delhi for the upcoming domestic season.

Nitish Rana showcasing his skills while playing for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.

Rana, a former Delhi captain, had initially made the switch to UP in 2023. His childhood coach, Sanjay Bharadwaj, shared with TimesofIndia.com the sentiment, "Apna ghar toh apna hi hota hai (Nothing comes close to your home)," emphasizing the pull of returning to familiar territory.

Bharadwaj confirmed, "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 further 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 role in shaping the careers of other cricketers such as Gautam Gambhir and Amit Mishra.

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

While his return to Delhi doesn't automatically secure him a spot in the team, he will 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 added, "He will have to earn his spot. There is no guarantee that he will get a chance right away."

Rana also had a disappointing IPL 2025 season with the Rajasthan Royals, scoring only 217 runs in 11 games after being bought for a substantial Rs 4.20 crore in the auction.

It remains to be seen how Rana will be received back into the Delhi team, especially considering his past altercation with Delhi captain Ayush Badoni during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarterfinals last year, which required intervention from the umpires.