Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Devdutt Padikkal has joined the squad in Chennai after he tested negative for COVID-19 on Wednesday. The official social media account of the franchise confirmed the development.
"Bold Diaries: Devdutt Padikkal joins the RCB camp after testing negative for COVID-19. He’s healthy, feeling better and raring to go. Here’s a message to all RCB fans from Devdutt," the franchise wrote on Twitter, attaching a video message from Padikkal.
Padikkal tested positive for COVID-19 on March 22 and underwent home isolation in Bengaluru.
Earlier today, RCB also announced that the franchise's Australian all-rounder Daniel Sams had tested positive for COVID-19. He is currently asymptomatic and undergoing home isolation.
RCB will take on defending champions Mumbai Indians in the tournament-opener on Friday. Sams has played in only three IPL games so far in his career.
On Tuesday, Mumbai Indians' wicket-keeping consultant and talent scout Kiran More had also tested positive for the virus, but all other members of the defending champions' squad returned negative reports.
IPL 2021 has been hit hard by the coronavirus even before its start as a number of ground-staff at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, broadcast crew event management officials, and some cricketers, including the likes of Axar Patel and Nitish Rana, have contracted the infection.
