Rana allowed to train with KKR after testing negative for Covid-19

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batsman Nitish Rana, who had tested positive for Covid-19 on March 22, has been cleared to return to training after he tested negative for the virus. Rana is believed to have been holidaying in Goa before he joined the team, but while his initial tests were negative, the results came back positive during his mandatory quarantine. 

The 27-year-old lefthander had tested positive a day after his arrival in Mumbai on March 21, following which he went into isolation in the team hotel.

"Nitish Rana had checked into the KKR team hotel in Mumbai, on March 21 with a negative COVID report which was done on March 19... He was tested on March 22, during his quarantine and the report showed that he was positive," KKR said in a statement.

"He has had no symptoms and has been completely asymptomatic since. 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."

Rana made 352 runs from 14 matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, which was held in the UAE. Overall, Rana has played 60 matches in the IPL and has scored 1,437 runs at 28.17, which includes 11 fifties from 60 matches. He joined KKR in 2018, after representing Mumbai Indians between 2014 and 2017. 

Rana was in excellent form in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy, finishing as the tournament's fifth-highest run-getter, having accumulated 398 runs at 66.33, along with a strike-rate of 97.79.

KKR kick-start their IPL 2021 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai on April 11.

(With inputs from PTI)