Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) top-order batsman Nitish Rana tested positive for COVID-19. It comes as a big blow for Kolkata as they play Sunrisers Hyderabad in the campaign opener on April 11. Now the team has issued a statement on the Delhi batsman's COVOD-19 diagnosis. Nitish, as per the statement, joined the KKR camp on March 21st after returning a negative Covid test. But the left-hander was tested positive for the virus on March 22, and since then, was placed in isolation as per the IPL Covid protocols, the statement added. "Nitish Rana had checked into the KKR team hotel in Mumbai, on March 21, 2021, with a negative COVID report which was done on March 19, 2021.
As per IPL protocol, he was tested on March 22, during his quarantine and the report showed that he was positive. "He has had no symptoms and has been completely asymptomatic since. Again as per IPL protocol, he isolated himself and was tested again today. We are glad to report that he has tested negative. We expect him to start training with the team shortly and be fully fit well before the start of the season," the KKR statement read. Nitish Rana had a fair outing in the 2020 edition of the IPL for KKR. He scored 352 runs in 14 at an average of 25.14. Notably, he has racked up over 300 runs in each of the last four IPL seasons. So far, he has played 60 matches in the cash-rich league and has 1437 runs to his credit, at an average of 28.17. His strike rate has been 135.56. Nitish had a brilliant outing in the recently-concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy. He played 7 games and had scored 398 runs while playing for Delhi. He smashed a century and two half-centuries in this tournament.
