On Tuesday, April 9, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) received a significant boost with the return of Nitish Rana to their team camp. Nitish Rana, who previously captained KKR in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, had been sidelined for a considerable period of IPL 2024 due to a fractured finger.
According to reports from ‘Khel Now’, Rana resumed his duties with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad on Tuesday, bringing a sense of relief to the two-time IPL champions.
His presence strengthens an already formidable middle-order, complementing the impressive performances of players like Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, and the emerging talent Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Although Rana’s initial outing in KKR’s opening match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad saw him fall short with just nine runs off 11 balls, his vast experience of over 180 T20 matches promises added depth to the KKR batting lineup.
Looking back at KKR’s journey in IPL 2023, Rana’s pivotal role stands out, particularly in filling the leadership void left by Shreyas Iyer’s absence due to injury. Under Rana’s captaincy, KKR secured six wins in the tournament. Additionally, Rana excelled with the bat, delivering his best-ever IPL season, amassing 413 runs at an average of 31.77 and a strike rate exceeding 140.
Notably, he formed crucial partnerships with Rinku Singh, who also enjoyed a breakthrough season with KKR.
