In what has come as an unexpected swoop, the Delhi Capitals (DC) have pulled off an incredible trade on the IPL 2026 retention deadline day. As the IPL has confirmed all the trades ahead of the new season, DC have brought in local lad Nitish Rana from the Rajasthan Royals (RR) for his existing IPL fee of Rs 4.20 crore. This is a major addition to their batting order that already features KL Rahul, Abhisek Porel, Ashutosh Sharma and Karun Nair.
Meanwhile, Donovan Ferreira has switched his alliance from DC to RR for a cash trade deal. He was earning Rs 75 lakh at Delhi, but now he will earn Rs 1 crore at the Royals. Rajasthan have now signed Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to bolster their middle order big time.
Nitish Rana to play at home ground
For Delhi Capitals, this trade is not just about adding another left hand option in their batting lineup. It is about bringing a player back to the environment where he has played his boldest cricket. Rana returns to Arun Jaitley Stadium at a time when his confidence is tracking upward again. His recent run in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) was a reminder of what he can produce when his back is against the wall.
After a quiet league phase in DPL 2025, Rana flipped the tournament on its head. His unbeaten run in all three knockout games became the storyline of the competition. West Delhi Lions were nowhere near favourites when the playoffs began, yet Rana’s 134 not out in a tense Eliminator, followed by 45 not out in Qualifier 2 and a decisive 79 not out in the final, gave them the title from third place. Across those three games he scored 258 runs at a strike rate touching 200, all while chasing.
Delhi Capitals will see that as evidence of a player who understands pressure and understands his home ground. Rana did not have an outstanding IPL 2025 with Rajasthan Royals (RR), scoring 217 runs at an average of 21.70, but his strike rate of 161.94 was among the best for middle order left handers in the season. At the auction, DC will now solely focus of bringing in specialist openers as they look to replace the likes of Jake Fraser-McGurk and Faf Du Plessis.
Editor's Pick
Cricket
Was Shubman Gill denied 'one last chance' for T20 World Cup 2026 by Gambhir & Suryakumar?
Top Stories
