Nitish Rana leaves Delhi for Uttar Pradesh 'to reach new heights'

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Nitish Rana made the official announcement of leaving the Delhi team to play for Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, August 20. The 29-year-old, who represented Delhi in 44 first-class matches, said he is joining Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) to reach new heights.

The southpaw has reportedly taken the decision after being removed from captaincy for Yash Dhull and for dropping him from the playing eleven of a Ranji Trophy match. Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) officials tried stopping him but Rana remained adamant on his decision.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the opportunities, guidance, and support which DDCA has provided me over the years. As I move on to new horizons, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey I had while captaining Delhi Cricket and express my sincere appreciation," Nitish Rana wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“I would also like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Rohan Jaitley for his support and cooperation during my time with DDCA. However, I think it's time to turn the page and embark on a new chapter in my career.”

'I have come to this decision with a lot of thought and I'm happy to announce that I'll be joining UPCA from the upcoming domestic season. I'm excited to play for UPCA, and I look forward to working with everyone to reach new heights,” Rana further said in his statement.

Earlier in 2005, Nikhil Chopra had left Delhi to play for Uttar Pradesh. A high-profile player leaving his home team to play for a different state at a young age is not common in Indian cricket.

Nitish Rana was the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2023. He has represented India in two T20Is and an ODI.