Nitish Rana- KKR's hero without a cape
What's the story
Three years ago, a 21-year-old Nitish Rana made his debut for Mumbai Indians. He didn't have much of an impact in his debut season, but fast forward to 2018, Nitish Rana is the man pulling the strings for Kolkata Knight Riders. The 24-year-old is not only churning out runs but he has turned out to be an all-rounder for KKR. Here's more about him.
Top performer
Rana was in red hot form last season
Rana rose to prominence in the 10th edition of the IPL where he scored 333 runs in 13 matches at an average of 30.27 for the Mumbai Indians. His 29-ball 50 against the Knight Riders last year is exactly why KKR decided to bid heavy for the southpaw. Nitish, who cost Mumbai just Rs. 20 lakh, fetched Rs 3.4 crore at this year's auction.
True Knight
Nitish Rana was the hero KKR needed
In the 4 games that he has played so far, Rana has been the match winner twice. Against RCB, he bagged the wickets of Kohli and ABD on successive balls and then had a hand in the 55-run partnership with Karthik to chase down 176. On Monday against Delhi Daredevils, his 59 off 35 balls played a crucial role in KKR's 71-run victory.
Consistency is key
Can the 24-year-old keep his consistent performances going?
Russell's blitzkrieg against DD might have overshadowed Rana's brilliant performance, but this young lad has a bright future. If he keeps his consistency going, it won't be long before the national selectors decide to have a look at him. For now, he has to keep his head low and continue doing what he is best at, scoring runs at will.