A huge twist has come just before the beginning of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 mega auction. The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain, Nitish Rana, has now been given a go-ahead to play in the tournament. He was previously ruled out due to the BCCI one-year cooling-off period for the players changing states. But now Rana has been added to the auction pool, much to the delight of the East Delhi Riders' co-owner, who promptly confirmed his name. Back to Delhi After UP Stint Rana had come back to Delhi a few months back after two seasons with Uttar Pradesh. He had shifted to UP in 2023 in search of fresh opportunities, particularly to captain in red-ball cricket. Even when made captain, his performances were not good. He could not score runs in red-ball cricket as well as white-ball cricket. In the hope of a fresh start, Rana returned to his native state. The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) gave him a No Objection Certificate (NOC), which cleared him to play for Delhi in national competitions. But his chances of playing in local leagues like the DPL were still doubtful due to the BCCI’s cooling-off rule. Now, that issue seems to be solved just in time for the auction. The East Delhi Riders were one of the squads who wanted him and moved swiftly once they got to know about it. A team co-owner confirmed that Rana is once again eligible for selection in the auction. He brings in experience and thrill, as he can provide both tough batting and captaincy. Also Read | 'The King Is Dead' - Ex-ENG Cricketer on How Gill Took Over from Kohli Ashok Sharma, the DDCA secretary, stated that although the NOC has been said to be in Rana's possession by him, they are yet to receive the copy. "We have discussed this with Nitish, and he has informed us regarding the NOC. But until we get it in writing, we cannot certify his complete eligibility," said Sharma. Another issue is the scheduling of the two tournaments. The UP T20 League and DPL tend to coincide with each other. As Rana had participated in the UP league recently, his suitability for this season's DPL was questioned. On the basis of current form, Rana struggled. In IPL 2025, he represented Rajasthan Royals but managed only 217 runs in 11 matches with a mere 21.7 average. His stint with UP was no better. In 10 First-Class matches, he made 447 runs with an average of 31.92. In List-A matches, he made a mere 72 runs in 7 matches. Though he was appointed captain in both forms in UP too, the performance did not pick up. Although Rana might not play in the DPL 2025 season itself, he is expected to be part of Delhi’s domestic setup moving forward. Fans and teams now look forward to seeing him back in form, possibly preparing for a fresh start in DPL 2026.