Former Kolkata Knight Riders star batter Nitish Rana has decided to move from Uttar Pradesh Cricket to Delhi Cricket in Domestic Cricket. This migration has been marked as a possibility to star in the upcoming season of the Delhi Premier League.
The left-handed batter was recently seen captaining a franchise in the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association’s T20 League, and since the UPCA T20 League takes place around the same time as the DPL, Rana’s involvement with the UPCA found him ineligible for participation in the DPL.
A BCCI source said. “He has taken a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from UP and is eligible to represent Delhi officially, but he can only play the DPL next year.”
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Nitish Rana’s DPL plans halted by BCCI rule
BCCI sources to CricBlogger revealed that Nitish Rana will not be permitted to star in the upcoming season of the Delhi Premier League, which will be played later this year.
Nitish Rana is yet to fulfill BCCI’s mandatory 12-month cooling-off period rule, which suggests players opting for a switch in state associations should wait for 12 months before participating in another local tournament for their new team.
“Unfortunately, the 12-month cooling-off rule does not allow Rana to participate in the DPL this season,” said BCCI sources.
Nitish Rana’s impact in the middle-order for the Rajasthan Royals
Nitish Rana, the talented left-handed batter from Uttar Pradesh, has been a dynamic batsman in the Indian Premier League. Rana has played in the IPL, making his debut for the Mumbai Indians back in 2016.
Nitish Rana has been an exceptional talent in the shortest format of the game, as he has consistently scored 300+ runs ever since the season of IPL 2017. Not a single season for the batter went by without scoring 300 runs until 2023.
Rana moved from the Mumbai Indians to the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2018, and since then he has scored 2199 runs for the KKR team. He has scored 14 half-centuries playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders, with a total of 20 fifties under his belt.
Playing for the Rajasthan Royals, they did not have an impactful season in IPL 2025, as he has featured in 11 matches and scored 217 runs at a strike rate of 161.94. Though this might not have been the best of seasons for the left-hander, he had a pleasant show with the new IPL franchise.
DPL auction is back with the Second Season
The Delhi Premier League (DPL) is back for its second season after its inauguration in 2024. Six teams were featured in DPL 2024 and have been joined by two more: Central Delhi Kings, East Delhi Riders, North Delhi Strikers, Purani Dilli 6, South Delhi Superstarz, and West Delhi Lions have been joined by Outer Delhi and New Delhi franchises for the upcoming season.
Several notable players like Rishabh Pant, Priyansh Arya, Digvesh Rathi, Ayush Badoni, and Harshit Rana will look to feature in the DPL auction, which is scheduled for the 6th of July.
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