Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Nitish Rana has expressed his desire to continue playing for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The left-hander from Delhi, who has been with KKR since 2018, stated that while he is eager to remain with the franchise, the final decision lies with the team management.
“It’s not in my hands if I will be retained; it’s up to KKR management to decide. I haven’t received any calls yet,” Rana told the Times of India. He emphasized his consistent performance for KKR, scoring over 2200 runs for the franchise, and his hope that the team sees him as an asset. “I have scored runs for KKR every year, and if they consider me an asset, they will retain me. I want to play for KKR,” he added.
Leadership and Injury Challenges
Rana has been an integral part of KKR’s setup, even captaining the side in the 2023 season when regular skipper Shreyas Iyer was injured. Despite his leadership, the team finished seventh in the points table. Last year, however, Rana faced his own injury struggles, missing most of the season and playing only two matches.
In his absence, KKR saw strong performances from players like Venkatesh Iyer and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who stepped up in the middle order. While Rana’s injury was a setback, he remains hopeful that his contributions over the years will solidify his place in the team’s future plans.
Focus on Red-Ball Cricket with Uttar Pradesh
Rana recently made a switch to Uttar Pradesh for domestic cricket, stating that his favourite format is red-ball cricket. After focusing on white-ball cricket during the COVID-19 pandemic, he has now shifted his attention back to the longer format.
Earlier this year, Rana was down with dengue fever and had to be hospitalized, which impacted his preparation for the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season. However, he has now rejoined the team and is eager to help Uttar Pradesh perform better.
He mentioned that key players like Rinku Singh, Yash Dayal, and Dhruv Jurel would be unavailable due to national commitments. “I am ready to take control of the team again. If the association feels I’m capable, I can take on the captaincy,” Rana said, expressing his willingness to step up and lead if needed.
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