SRH vs KKR: Nitish Rana’s unique record in IPL is something that every Dream XI user should know

Nitish Rana on Sunday kicked-off his Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign on a fantastic note as he fetched 80 runs from 56 balls, helping Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pile a challenging 187/6 on the board against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai. 

The left-handed batsman, who opened the innings with Shubman Gill, went on to stitch a 53-run stand for the opening wicket, before Gill was dismissed by Rashid Khan on 15. 

Starting #IPL2021 the right way! @NitishRana_27 #KKRHaiTaiyaar #SRHvKKR pic.twitter.com/ImQ4PkBmj0

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 11, 2021

Rana continued the same approach and found great support from Rahul Tripathi as the pair helped KKR maintain their grip in the contest by adding 93 runs in just 50 balls, before the latter was dismissed by T Natarajan on 53 off 29 balls. 

Rana was finally removed by Rashid in the 18th over of the KKR innings, while he tried to clear the long off fence. His efforts combined with Tripathi helped KKR post a stiff 188-run target for the opposition, considering the average score at a spin-friendly track at Chepauk. 

However, if we look closely in Rana’s last six innings in the IPL, there’s a unique pattern, which fantasy cricket league users would like to keep in mind before selecting the left-handed batsman in their side for the next game. 

Nitish Rana last six innings in IPL

0(1)
81(53)
0(1)
87(61)
0(1)
80(56)

Meanwhile, this was the first time the batsman took part in a professional contest after recovering from COVID-19. The 27-year-old left-handed batsman had tested positive a day after his arrival in Mumbai on March 21, following which he went into isolation in the team hotel.