IPL 2021: Prasidh Krishna tests positive for Covid-19, 4th KKR player to contract virus

Kolkata Knight Riders and India pacer Prasidh Krishna has become the latest player who was part of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 to test positive for Covid-19. Prasidh becomes the 4th KKR player to contract the virus that breached the franchise bio-bubble in Ahmedabad.

IPL 2021 was indefinitely postponed on May 4 after positive cases of Covid-19 cases emerged from as many as 4 franchises in Ahmedabad and Delhi.

Earlier on Saturday, KKR wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Seifert was reported to have tested positive for Covid-19. Seifert will stay back in India and complete his recovery while fellow New Zealand players, including captain Kane Williamson, headed to the Maldives from where they will fly to the UK for the Test series against England next month.

KKR were the first franchise to report positive Covid-19 cases earlier this month. Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier tested positive for Covid-19 following which KKR put the entire team in isolation at their team hotel in Ahmedabad. KKR’s game against Royal Challengers Bangalore was postponed on May 3 before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to postpone the tournament indefinitely after more cases were reported in other franchises.

Notably, Prasidh Krishna is one of the 4 standby players who have been picked to travel with the Indian squad for the World Test Championship final in June and the subsequent 5-Test series against England in England. The BCCI also included Wriddhiman Saha in the 20-man squad despite the Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper testing positive for Covid-19.

The BCCI on Friday announced that Saha and KL Rahul, who has been diagnosed with acute appendicitis, will travel with the squad to England, subject to clearing fitness tests. Notably, India are expected to leave to the UK in the first week of June after completing a period of quarantine in the country during which they will undergo mandatory Covid-19 tests.