Delhi Capitals have officially welcomed Nitish Rana back into their fold, following a trade with Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Donovan Ferreira ahead of IPL 2026. The franchise announced his return in a heartfelt video shared on X, captioned, “10 years later… your boy is finally home, Dilli.”

In the video, Rana expressed his deep affection for the city: “Log usually bolte hai ki Dilli wale… jab dekho ladayi jhagda hi karte rehte hai… Par ye koi nahi bolta ki sabse jyada pyaar bhi Dilli wale hi karte hai. Aur Dilli se jyada pyaar mujse koi nahi karta. See you soon, Dilli.”
(People say Delhiites are always fighting, but no one mentions how much love they have. No one loves Delhi more than I do. See you soon, Delhi.)

10 years later… your boy is finally home, Dilli 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dz3jPbP97y

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) November 18, 2025

Nitish Rana’s journey began in 2013 when he made his List A debut for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. A product of Delhi’s robust cricketing ecosystem, he represented the state across age-group levels and domestic tournaments until 2022.

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His first-class debut came in the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy, where he finished as Delhi’s top scorer with 557 runs in his maiden season. Nitish Rana entered the IPL in 2016, but it was in 2017 that he left a lasting mark, scoring 333 runs and making a significant contribution to the Mumbai Indians’ title-winning campaign.

Released ahead of the 2018 auction, he was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders, where he went on to become a key player and eventually captain in 2023 during Shreyas Iyer’s absence. Rana led with maturity, finishing as KKR’s second-highest run-getter that season.

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Injuries hampered Rana’s 2024 IPL, as a finger injury ruled him out for 10 matches. Despite his limited role, Kolkata clinched the championship. Ahead of IPL 2025, KKR released him, and Rajasthan Royals acquired him for ₹4.20 crore. Now, with a return to his roots at Delhi Capitals, Rana is set to write a new chapter in his IPL career.