IPL 2026 Trade: Delhi Captains get Nitish Rana; Rajasthan Royals bring in Donovan Ferreira – check out their price

Table of Contents

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 trade window has seen another significant move confirmed by the BCCI with a strategic deal completed between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). The trade involves a direct player exchange, with experienced Indian batter Nitish Rana moving to his home franchise, DC, from the Royals.

In return, RR acquired the services of South African all-rounder Donovan Ferreira, who recently captained the Proteas in Pakistan. The move addresses middle-order needs for DC and finisher issues for RR, with both franchises optimizing their squad balance ahead of the retention deadline.

Rana joins DC, and Ferreira will return to RR following a successful agreement that revised the South African’s fee. This exchange, officially announced on Saturday, November 15, marks a key piece of business as the player-trading window prepares to close on December 8.

Delhi Capitals successfully acquired the services of veteran Indian middle-order batter Rana from the Rajasthan, with the official confirmation from the BCCI coming out on Saturday. Rana, who is originally from Delhi and represents the state in domestic cricket, will now join his home franchise to bolster their crucial middle-order stability. The left-handed batter joins the team for his existing fee of INR 4.2 crore, which was the same price RR bought for him at the auction ahead of the IPL 2025 season.

Rana’s primary role is to provide the much-needed middle-order strength that DC has been seeking for the upcoming season, bringing an experienced Indian core player to the batting lineup. He is an extremely experienced IPL campaigner, having featured in a total of 118 league matches across his career before this latest move. Before joining the Jaipur-based franchise, Rana represented two other champion teams, securing title-winner status with both Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

His recent performance for the Royals in the IPL 2025 season saw him score 217 runs in 11 matches, recording an average of 21.70. Notably, his strike rate of 161.94 in those matches indicates his aggressive intent and ability to accelerate the innings during the middle overs, a valuable asset for DC. Furthermore, Rana brings valuable leadership experience to the DC squad, having captained the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2023 when the regular skipper Shreyas Iyer was sidelined due to injury.

Also READ: IPL 2026 Retentions: Rules, Team Purse, Broadcast and Live Streaming Details

In the corresponding trade, the Rajasthan secured the services of South African all-rounder Donovan Ferreira, marking his return to his original franchise from the Delhi. The IPL announced that Ferreira will play for the Rajasthan Royals after completing the trade, with his fee being significantly revised upwards for the transfer agreement. His fee was increased from the initial INR 75 lakh that Delhi paid for him during the IPL 2025 auction to a new trade price of INR 1 crore, a significant mark-up to secure his return.

Ferreira’s acquisition directly addresses a significant weakness for Rajasthan, as he is known for his exploits down the order, an area which the Royals struggled with last season in their attempts to finish innings strongly. The South African middle-order batter recently showcased his leadership ability by captaining the Proteas during their tour of Pakistan, underlining his potential beyond just batting. Despite his high value as an overseas finisher, Ferreira has seen limited action in the IPL, playing just three matches overall in his career in the league.

He played only one match for the Delhi in the recent 2025 season, where he scored just 1 run and was not utilized as a bowler in his only outing. His overall IPL statistics remain modest, recording only 9 runs at a poor average of 3 and a strike rate of 64.29 across his few appearances, reflecting his lack of opportunities. However, the Royals clearly see his underlying potential as an overseas all-rounder and a valuable asset for the finisher role, justifying the decision to increase his salary to secure his return before the retention deadline.

Also READ: IPL 2026 Trade: Sanju Samson moves to CSK; Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran shift to Rajasthan Royals