Nitish Rana set to join Uttar Pradesh for upcoming domestic season

Indian batter Nitish Rana is all set to join Uttar Pradesh from Delhi for the upcoming Indian domestic season. The former Delhi captain recently came forward to appeal for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Delhi & District Cricket Association ( DDCA) to play elsewhere in domestic competitions. The 29-year-old had a poor season in the Ranji Trophy 2022–23, and his performances saw him dropped from his side’s clash against Tamil Nadu.

Furthermore, Rana made himself unavailable for Delhi’s clash against Hyderabad. Scoring 71 runs in three matches at an average of 17.75 runs, Rana was also stripped of his captaincy after Delhi decided to make Yash Dhull the skipper. Seeing the rumours of Rana joining Uttar Pradesh state, an official came forward to reflect on the same.

"Yes, Nitish Rana is likely to come to UP for the domestic season. Formalities are being worked out, and an official statement will be issued soon. That’s all I can say," a UPCA official told Cricketnext.

Once a player has made up his mind, there is very little we can do: DDCA official

Furthermore, with reports of Nitish Rana filing for a No Objection Certificate from the DDCA to play for other teams in the domestic competition, an official came forward to state that there was no point in forcing a player to stay back when they don't want to stay. He also opined that if Rana is persuaded to stay with Delhi against his wishes, that could affect the mood of the dressing room as well. 

"There was no point forcing a player to stay back. Once a player has made up his mind, there is very little we can do. We can’t give assurances or other things or talk about selection matters. It also affects the dressing room atmosphere when we force a player to stay back. So it's in the interest of everyone, I would say," a DDCA official said. 

One big reason why Nitish Rana was unhappy during his time in Delhi was the unannounced captaincy change, where Yash Dhull was handed the responsibility. However, one positive aspect of his move to Uttar Pradesh could be that he will be reuniting with the Kolkata Knight Riders teammate, Rinku Singh.