Nitish Rana has revealed that a brief conversation with Rishabh Pant played a decisive role in his decision to join Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2026 season.
Rana was traded from Rajasthan Royals to Delhi Capitals in November 2025 before the retention deadline, with the move completed for his existing contract value of ₹4.2 crore. Speaking in a video posted by the franchise on March 12, the left-handed batter explained that Pant was the only person he consulted before finalising the switch.
Rana said he turned to Pant for advice because of the wicketkeeper-batter’s long association with Delhi Capitals and his experience leading the team. According to Rana, Pant’s response came almost instantly and left little room for doubt.
“I asked only one person whether I should join DC or not, and that was Rishabh. He has played so much for this franchise and has also led the team, so he knows everything about it from inside,” Nitish said.
Pant’s reply, Rana added, came within seconds and carried enough conviction to settle the matter.
“He finished his answer in just three seconds and said there could not be anything better than this for you. Just quietly say yes. I still remember those exact words. He said it in three seconds, and after that I never asked him another question. What he said was enough for me, and after that I signed with DC,” he added.
The move marks a homecoming of sorts for Rana, who represents Delhi in domestic cricket and will now play for his home city in the IPL.
Rana joins Delhi Capitals after a challenging campaign with Rajasthan Royals in the previous season. The batter scored 217 runs in 11 matches at an average of 21.7 while maintaining a strike rate of 161.94. His season was cut short after he suffered an injury that ruled him out of the latter stages of the tournament.
The trade between the two franchises also saw Donovan Ferreira move in the opposite direction, leaving Delhi Capitals to join Rajasthan Royals.
The upcoming IPL season will mark another chapter in Rana’s journey in the league. Delhi Capitals will become the fourth franchise he has represented in the competition after earlier stints with Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.
Over the course of his IPL career so far, Rana has played 118 matches and scored 2,853 runs in 112 innings. He has maintained an average of 27.97 and a strike rate of 136.76, while registering 20 half-centuries.
With a return to familiar surroundings and the backing of Pant’s endorsement, Rana will hope to make a strong impact for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026.
