Old timers at the Sonnet Club would remember the chirpy kid, accompanied by his uncle, a policeman, wading into the bowlers in his age group. "He was a splendid striker of the ball," remembered Sonnet coach Tarak Sinha, of the left-hander who played an outstanding knock for Mumbai Indians against Gujarat Lions at the Green Park in Kanpur on Saturday.
Nitish Rana is a product of the hugely competitive Delhi cricket scene where the intensity to grab a place is extremely fierce. "He would not concede an inch in the nets when he graduated to bat against some of the senior bowlers," said Sinha.
Rana, while executing some aesthetically proper cricket shots and a few muscular ones over the boundary, managed to make an impression in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match. A pity his innings ended in the losing camp but Rana emerged with his head held high.
He began at the Sonnet Club before moving to Shastri Club where Sanjay Bhardwaj hones his skills. Bhardwaj has contributed a strong set of players like Gautam Gambhir, Unmukt Chand and Amit Mishra to name a few. Now Rana is the latest from the stable of Bhardwaj, a hard taskmaster with an eye for talent.
Rana’s rise was rapid and he made news in local cricket. “His ball sense was beyond his age,” revealed Sinha. His ability to judge the ball early made Rana a batsman to fear in junior cricket. Bhardwaj also noticed that he was “a fearless batsman,” and concentrated on giving him more chances. The lad learnt fast and did not need his policeman uncle – Anil Rana – to accompany him to matches.
The Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma lavished praise on the 22-year-old. “Nitish batted brilliantly given the challenge. To be able to dominate that way when under pressure was creditable. To score at that pace was exceptional. He did a fantastic job and definitely looks a future prospect. Someone to look forward to. I know it is a long way to go but I hope he continues scoring runs. He must keep up the momentum.” It was former Test spinner Rahul Sanghvi’s keen eye that ensured Rana a spot in the Mumbai Indians squad.
The encouragement from Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya last season worked well for Rana. “I like his confidence. He must now take it to the next stage. He is special no doubt. As he grows he must learn to bowl a bit. He can bowl decent offspin. With better temperament, he can travel far. I know Nitish can always adjust as far as skills are concerned. He must realise that first-class cricket will form his foundation. He has to play really well in the Ranji Trophy to make an impact,” said Dahiya.
Given Rana’s passion to improve, one can expect the Delhi youngster to boost his cricket profile in the forthcoming season.
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