Nitish Rana’s childhood cricket rivalry and inspirations

Growing up as an ardent fan of Indian cricket, Nitish Rana, the talented Rajasthan Royals batter, had his heart set on the aggressive and inspirational Sourav Ganguly. While the cricketing world, and his own family, were often divided in allegiance between icons like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, Nitish was steadfast in his admiration for the former Indian captain.

In a heartfelt conversation on a recent podcast with FanCode, Rana reminisced about his childhood, marked by cricket rivalries within his own home. “Dad was a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar, my brother preferred Rahul Dravid, and I was all in for Sourav Ganguly,” he recounted. “Whenever India played, our living room was like a mini-stadium with intense emotions. It was rare for all three cricketers to perform exceptionally in the same match, which often led to one of us being disappointed.”

Rana fondly remembers the days when he would lock himself in his room and cry if Ganguly was dismissed early, while Dravid was in imperious form with consistent centuries. “The sibling rivalry was intense. My brother would boast about Rahul Dravid’s performance, especially during his peak, which would frustrate me even more if Ganguly got out cheaply,” Rana recalled.

Interestingly, life came full circle for the left-handed batsman when he made his India debut under the stewardship of Rahul Dravid, the head coach. “Getting the chance to be coached by Rahul sir was surreal. It was like seeing my childhood memories culminate into a remarkable chapter of my cricket career,” Nitish reflected.

Recently, Rana showcased his batting prowess for Rajasthan Royals in a thrilling contest against Chennai Super Kings. His explosive innings of 81 runs off just 36 balls were crucial in setting a competitive total of 182/9. Despite a spirited chase by CSK, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 63 and crucial contributions from Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni, they fell short by six runs, finishing at 176/6 in their 20 overs.

The match not only highlighted Nitish’s ability on the field but also exemplified the lasting impact of his boyhood cricket heroes, as he now plays under the mentorship of one of them.