Devdutt Padikkal 3rd IPL Cricketer To Test COVID-19 Positive
Apr 4, 2021 at 11:30 AM
Devdutt Padikkal is the latest IPL player to have contracted the novel coronavirus. The RCB player tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday.
The RCB opener has been isolated from the rest of the squad and is in quarantine. The positive test now makes him doubtful for the IPL opener against reigning champions Mumbai Indians.
Devdutt Padikkal’s Fine Form In Debut IPL Season Saw RCB Qualify For Playoffs
Devdutt Padikkal was one of the biggest stars of the IPL 2020 which was his debut season. He was in fine form at the top of the order for RCB and was one of the biggest factors for RCB making the playoffs. His unavailability would come as a major setback for RCB. The side is in Chennai where they are training for the first match.
Devdutt Padikkal, the emerging talent who shone brightest in 2020 IPL, has warmed up for the upcoming edition with an outstanding show in the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament, where he became the first Indian to score four successive hundreds in List A cricket. He aggregated 737 runs (avg 147.40), finishing only behind the 827 runs Prithvi Shaw scored in Mumbai’s win.
The Karnataka batsman scored 473 runs in 15 games averaging 31.53 with five fifties in IPL 2020. The 20-year-old uncapped batsman was one of just five players to play every game of his team’s IPL campaign.
RCB Probable Playing XI In Absence Of Devdutt Padikkal For MI: Virat Kohli(c), Finn Allen (wk), AB De Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Washington Sundar, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammed Siraj, Shahbaz Ahmed, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Devdutt Padikkal Is The 3rd IPL Cricketer To Test Covid-19 Positive
Devdutt Padikkal is the third IPL cricketer to test positive. Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Nitish Rana was the first, while Delhi Capitals spin all-rounder Axar Patel is the other. Nitish Rana has recovered and joined the squad after two negative tests. DC’s Axar Patel could miss the first game of the franchise.
With the second wave prevalent in the country, it would be interesting if BCCI can host games in Mumbai or not. Maharashtra has seen the biggest spike in the number of COVID-19 positive cases. Eight Wankhede groundsmen also tested positive.