 "IPL 2021: KKR vs RCB match postponed; Varun, Sandeep test Covid positive")
The Covid-19 storm struck IPL 2021 on Monday with Kolkata Knight Riders' Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier testing positive for the dreaded virus, forcing postponement of the team's game against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ahmedabad on Monday.
The match will be rescheduled some time later during the tournament, which will conclude on May 30.
"Varun Chakravarthy 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," the IPL said in an official statement.
2021 IPL points table and team rankings
2021 IPL latest news
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.
"Both the players have isolated themselves from the rest of the squad. 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," the IPL statement said.
KKR last played on April 29 against Delhi Capitals in Ahmedabad and the development is bound to trigger some anxiety in the league, which had been going along smoothly so far.
"Now, the DC players 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," the source said.
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"The other members of KKR contingent have tested negative but since the second RTPCR report of these two cannot be out before evening, the match couldn't have gone ahead at 7.30 pm," according to media reports.
2021 IPL time table, schedule and results
SOPs for Covid-19 management in IPL 2021
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.
The source said BCCI top officials are currently discussing the situation over a conference call.
Varun Chakravarthy's performance in IPL 2021
Chakravarthy has appeared in all of KKR matches so far and been one of their most successful players with seven wickets under his belt.
Players got Covid-19 positive ahead of IPL 2021
IPL had dealt with positive cases before the tournament started, including some high-profile names like Axar Patel and Devdutt Padikkal.
However, this is the first instance of positive cases in the middle of the tournament.
Just days before this, three Australian players had pulled out of the league, citing Covid-19 concerns amid a devastating second wave of the global pandemic that has overwhelmed the medical infrastructure of the country.
India are currently recording over 3 lakh cases everyday and more than 3,000 daily deaths.
IPL 2021 points table as of May 3, 2021
| Teams | Play | Won | Loss | Tie | NR | PTS | NRR |
| DC | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0.547 |
| CSK | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1.263 |
| RCB | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | -0.171 |
| MI | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.062 |
| RR | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -0.19 |
| PBKS | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -0.368 |
| KKR | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -0.494 |
| SRH | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -0.623 |
IPL 2021 top five batsman as of May 3, 2021
Orange cap: Shikhar Dhawan (Delhi Capitals)
| Name | Matches | Runs | Fours | Sixes | 50s | 100s | Best |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 8 | 380 | 43 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 92 |
| KL Rahul | 7 | 331 | 27 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 91 not out |
| Faf du Plessis | 7 | 320 | 29 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 95 not out |
| Prithvi Shaw | 8 | 308 | 37 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 82 |
| Sanju Samson | 7 | 277 | 26 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 119 |
Top five bowlers in IPL 2021 as of May 3, 2021
Purple cap: Harshal Patel (RCB)
| Name | Matches | Overs | Economy | Runs | Wickets | Best |
| Harshal Patel | 7 | 28 | 9.17 | 257 | 17 | 5 for 27 |
| Avesh Khan | 8 | 30 | 7.7 | 231 | 14 | 3 for 32 |
| Chris Morris | 7 | 26 | 8.61 | 224 | 14 | 4 for 23 |
| Rahul Chahar | 7 | 28 | 7.21 | 202 | 11 | 4 for 27 |
| Rashid Khan | 7 | 28 | 6.14 | 172 | 10 | 3 for 36 |