Nitish Rana is an Indian cricketer. He was born on 27th December 1993. He is an aggressive left-hand batsman and part-time right-arm off-break bowler. The batsman has given credit to former Australian captain Rickey Ponting for being able to develop his big-hitting quality during his stint with Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

Rana, despite being a promising batsman got involved in a controversy on the age-fudging. He was one of the 22 Indian cricketers to have been banned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) due to age-fudging. The 27-year-old cricketer was not eligible to take part in age-group cricket for being over-aged.

Nitish Rana made his debut in first-class cricket in the Ranji Trophy match against Vidarbha in 2015. Rana in his maiden appearance in the Ranji Trophy match impressed with the bat, scoring 61 runs off 169 deliveries including eight fours. He earned a lot of applause in that season amidst the off-field controversy in Delhi cricket. He ended Ranji Trophy that season with 557 runs at an average of 50.63. He was in excellent form that season, scoring 299 runs, hitting 21 sixes, the most by any batsman in the tournament, guiding Delhi to the final of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Rana has played in 38 first-class matches and scored 2266 runs at an average of 41.20 including six centuries and nine fifties and scalped 15 wickets. He was named captain of the Delhi team for first-class cricket replacing Gautam Gambhir in 2018. However, Rana made his debut in List ‘A’ cricket already two years before his debut in first-class cricket. Rana’s opening match was against Assam in the Vijaya Hazare Trophy, but he got out only for 9 runs off 8 deliveries. Rana has played in 51 List 'A' matches and scored 1542 runs at an average of 37.60 where his top score is 107 and captured 31 wickets including the best figure of 3 for 36.

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Rana has represented two franchise teams in the IPL so far. He has played for Mumbai Indians from 2014 to 2017 and then in 2018, the batsman was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders. In the IPL last year Rana has scored 352 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 138.58 including three half-centuries. Rana having played 60 matches in IPL so far and scored 1437 runs including 11 fifties and bagged 7 wickets.

Rana who has not yet participated in a Twenty20 International match has been playing in T20 matches since 2013. He debuted against Vidarbha in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match. He has played in 115 T20 matches so far and scored 2645 runs at a strike rate of 137.54 and his best score has been 97. He has captured 28 wickets also in as many matches.

Rana gives credit to Ponting while developing his big-hitting skill.