He managed to score just 217 runs in the IPL 2025.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Nitish Rana is likely to make a comeback to his roots in Delhi, after moving out to Uttar Pradesh two years back. The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player has had a poor outing in the domestic circuit as well as in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for RR.
The 31-year-old’s childhood coach, Sanjay Bharadwaj, confirmed the news while speaking with the Times of India. The coach also revealed that he had forbidden Rana to take the step earlier before moving out to Uttar Pradesh.
“He will be playing for Delhi this season. I had asked him not to move out then also. He didn’t had a great season with Uttar Pradesh. As a professional cricketer, you have too much pressure,” he stated.
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However, the former Delhi captain’s return to the side doesn’t guarantee him an immediate place in the squad.
“This is not a dump station. He will have to earn his spot. When he asked for the No Objection Certificate (NOC) in 2023, we had requested him to stay and play for Delhi,” said a source to TOI.
Additionally, the batter will feature in the upcoming Delhi Premier League (DPL). The tournament has added two more teams to the existing six from their inaugural edition in 2024.
After a seven-year-long stint, the southpaw was released from the KKR squad ahead of the IPL 2025 player auction, following an injury-hit season in 2024. The Royals acquired his services for INR 4.20 crore. However, the batter managed to score only 217 runs in 11 matches for RR, including two half-centuries and a highest score of 81 off 36 balls against the Chennai Super Kings. RR also endured a similar struggling season as they finished the IPL 2025 in ninth place. The Men in Pink managed to win only four out of their 14 league-stage fixtures.
However, Rana also had a tough domestic season for Uttar Pradesh in 2024-25. He scored just 111 runs in nine matches in the latest Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). Moreover, the batter scored only 17 runs in two Vijay Hazare Trophy games before being axed from the playing XI. A similar instance followed during the Ranji Trophy season. He was dropped after he made 150 runs in four matches.
Fans would be excited for his return to the side as the batter was seen engaging in a confrontation with the current Delhi captain, Ayush Badoni, during the quarterfinals of the SMAT last year.
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