Ahead of the IPL 2021, Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Nitish Rana has been tested negative for COVID-19. Kolkata-based franchise suffered a massive blow in their camp as Rana was tested positive for the COVID-19 on 22 March but in the latest testing, he has returned negative. <p></p> <p></p>The two-time IPL winners made official confirmation regarding the matter on their social media account. <p></p> <p></p><section id="8545ffdb-6793-4ac9-a8e2-86ed0e2374dd" class="site-content" data-mobile="widget_layout_21" data-template="widget_layout_21" data-component="SI-detail" data-tooltip="SI-detail / widget_layout_21" data-title="SI-widget_layout_21/widget_layout_21"> <p></p><div class="waf-component waf-detail article-detail-floating-social widget-layout-21" data-controller="si-detail--widget-layout-21"> <p></p><div class="theiaStickySidebar"><article class="article-detail item-type-article"> <p></p><div class="article-body"> <p></p><div class="article-content"> <p></p><div class="content-wrap"> <p></p><div class="content"> <p></p> <p></p>"Mr. Nitish Rana had checked into the KKR team hotel in Mumbai, on March 21, 2021 with a negative COVID report which was done on March 19, 2021. As per IPL protocol, he was tested on March 22, during his quarantine and the report showed that he was positive. He has had no symptoms and has been completely asymptomatic since. Again as per IPL protocol, 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." <p></p> <p></p></div> <p></p></div> <p></p></div> <p></p></div> <p></p></article></div> <p></p></div> <p></p></section><section id="c80c954b-b7b4-490d-a714-a814d0e91c71" class="site-content" data-mobile="widget_layout_193" data-template="widget_layout_193" data-component="SI-listing" data-tooltip="SI-listing / widget_layout_193" data-title="SI-widget_layout_193/widget_layout_193"> <p></p><div class="waf-component waf-listing waf-related widget-layout-193"> <p></p><div class="layout-wrapper"> <p></p><div class="waf-head"> <p></p><div class="head-wrap">Rana is under observation and undergoing quarantine at the team hotel.</div> <p></p></div> <p></p></div> <p></p></div> <p></p></section>The southpaw has been an integral part of the KKR set-up since his debut in 2016. He has played several crucial innings for the purple army and has scored 1,437 runs in 60 matches at an average of 28.17 and a strike rate of 135.56. <p></p> <p></p>In the last edition, Rana failed to make a huge impact despite playing some good knocks. He slammed 352 runs in 14 matches in the UAE. <p></p> <p></p>Rana had been in form in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy one-dayers, scoring 398 runs in seven matches at an average of 66.33 with a strike rate of 97.79. He was the tournament's fifth-highest run-getter. <p></p> <p></p>The Delhi batsman, who also opened for KKR during the last season, has not been seen in practice sessions even as other players have been attending practice. <p></p> <p></p>Skipper Eoin Morgan, Shubman Gill, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Andre Russell, Dinesh Kartik and Sunil Narine have all been doing practice sessions. <p></p> <p></p>KKR will start their IPL campaign with a clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 11 in Chennai. <p></p> <p></p>KKR Full Squad: Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Rahul Tripathi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Pat Cummins, Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Warrier, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Tim Seifert, Shakib al Hasan, Karun Nair, Harbhajan Singh, Sheldon Jackson, Pawan Negi, Venkatesh Iyer and Vaibhav Arora
