KKR vs RCB match deferred after 2 of Kolkata team test positive for Covid

According to a media report, the Kolkata team's Varun Chakravarthy and seam bowler Sandeep Warrier have tested positive for Covid-19

Monday evening’s match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is being deferred after two members of the first team tested positive for Covid-19. 

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The match in Ahmedabad will be played later in the tournament that concludes on May 30, reported PTI quoting sources. 

"Varun Chakaravarthy and Sandeep Warrier were found to be positive in the third round of testing in the last four days. All other team members have tested negative for COVID -19," a press release from IPL's organisers .

Leg-spinner Chakravarthy and pacer Warrier, both 30, have been isolated and the rest of the KKR contingent has returned negative reports for now. Of the two, Warrier has not yet made the playing XI in any of the seven matches KKR have played.

"The Medical Team is in continuous touch with the duo and are monitoring their health. Meanwhile, the Kolkata Knight Riders have now moved towards a daily testing routine to identify any other possible cases and treat them at the earliest," said the IPL statement.

"The Medical Team is also determining the close and casual contacts of the two positive cases during the 48 hours prior to collection of the sample that returned the positive test results," it added.

KKR last played on April 29 against Delhi Capitals in Ahmedabad and sickness in the Kolkata team casts doubt about the bio-secure bubble in front of empty stands across six venues.

"Now, the DC players (currently in Ahmedabad) will also have to be tested and every member of the team contingents that came in contact with Chakravarthy and Warrier will also be contact traced through the app watch that has been given to everyone," a source in the Indian cricket board told PTI.

According to IPL''s Standard Operating Procedure for COVID-19 management, any close contact of an infected person has to isolate for six days and return three negative tests on days 1, 3 and 6.

It is learnt that KKR''s pace spearhead Pat Cummins revealed the latest development to all the Australian players in the IPL after Chakravarthy, while undergoing some shoulder scans for a niggle after Thursday''s game, tested positive for the virus.