The opening batsman was quarantining at home after testing positive on March 22
Devdutt Padikkal, who had tested positive for Covid-19 on March 22 and had been quarantining at home since then, has travelled to Chennai and linked up with the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad after returning “negative reports for Covid-19 as per the BCCI’s protocols”.
Announcing the update, the Royal Challengers said in a statement that the franchise’s medical team was “in constant touch with Devdutt to ensure his safety and well-being”.
In a video released by the team on Twitter, Padikkal said, “As per BCCI and IPL protocol, I had to quarantine at home for two weeks. Now I have joined the camp after two negative tests, and I am feeling completely fine now, and I just can’t wait to get back out there and join the RCB camp.”
The Royal Challengers’ first game of IPL 2021 is the tournament opener against the Mumbai Indians in Chennai on April 9. Their second match is on April 14, against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, also in Chennai.
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.#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/BtVszNABJW
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 7, 2021
It is unclear if Paddikal will have to go through the mandatory hard quarantine for seven more days. According to The Hindu, the Royal Challengers’ head coach Simon Katich said in a media interaction on Tuesday that the team had been told Paddikal would not have to quarantine upon his return. If that were true, he would be available for the season-opener against Mumbai.
Padikkal was the leading run-scorer for the Royal Challengers in IPL 2020, his debut season, scoring 473 runs at an average of 31.53 and a strike rate of 124.80. Coming into this season, he had a stellar Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy too, tallying 218 runs in six innings at an average of 43.60 and a strike rate of 134.56.
More to follow…