After two domestic seasons with Uttar Pradesh (UP), Nitish Rana has made the decision to return to his native Delhi. The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) has granted him a No Objection Certificate (NOC), and it is anticipated that he will make the move before to the forthcoming domestic season.
“We have provided the experienced batter with the NOC that he requested,” UPCA CEO Ankit Chatterjee told ESPNcricinfo. “He mentioned family reasons for his decision.”
The Delhi and District Cricket Association’s (DDCA) secretary, Ashok Sharma, also attested that Nitish Rana had discussed his choice with them and had previously obtained the UP NOC. But DDCA hasn’t gotten a copy of his NOC yet. We can’t discuss his chances of playing for Delhi until we have the NOC,” Sharma stated.
Up to 2022, Nitish Rana represented Delhi in age-group and domestic cricket.
He switched to UP in 2023 and even became the side’s leader. His time with UP, however, was mainly dismal, as he was dismissed from the one-dayers and first-class cricket because of his subpar play the previous season.
He participated in four Ranji Trophy matches during the 2024–25 domestic season, however he only managed to score 150 runs in six innings, including one half-century. With a strike rate of 114.43 and an average of 13.87, he only managed to score 111 runs in nine games at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20s. He only played in two games in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, and his persistently bad play led to his dismissal from the team.
When the tournament’s second phase began in January of this year, he was also excluded from the Ranji Trophy squad. Rana struggled for consistency even in the IPL 2025, scoring just 217 runs in 11 innings with two half-centuries for the Rajasthan Royals before hurting his calf muscle.
It became clear that he might not play for UP this season after he was left out of the UP T20 League auction. He participated in 10 first-class games for them and amassed 447 runs, including two half-centuries and a century. He also scored 72 runs in seven List A games and amassed 314 runs, including two half-centuries, in 16 T20 matches. During the 2023–24 season, he also captained the UP squad in six Ranji Trophy and four Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, winning one and three games, respectively.
Given that Rana and Delhi’s current captain, Ayush Badoni, got into an argument on the pitch during a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match last season that necessitated an umpire’s intervention, his possible return to Delhi will be intriguing. The Delhi team faces fierce competition for middle-order positions as well.
For the time being, Rana may also play in the August Delhi Premier League (DPL) if the DDCA accepts his NOC.
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