Prasidh Krishna tests positive for COVID-19

India and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Prasidh Krishna has tested positive for COVID-19. He is now the fourth player from KKR after Varun Chakravarthy, Sandeep Warrier and Tim Seifert to test positive.

News agency ANI confirmed the development, citing unnamed sources.

"He (Prasidh Krishna) is down with COVID-19. The results have come in and he tested positive," the source said.

Prasidh Krishna was one of the best performers for KKR in the now-postponed IPL 2021. In six matches, the skiddy pacer picked up eight wickets at an average of 30.38, striking at a brilliant 19.88. He returned best figures of 3/30 against the Punjab Kings.

KKR and India pacer Prasidh Krishna tests COVID-19 positiveRead @ANI Story | https://t.co/14JVdbRRSM pic.twitter.com/AtvTHVKOjd

— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) May 8, 2021

Incidentally, the first cases of COVID-19 breaching the IPL bio-bubble emerged from the KKR franchise, when Chakravarthy and Warrier tested positive on May 3.

IPL 2021 was curtailed indefinitely the following day, with both Indian and overseas players promptly heading to their homes.

New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Seifert failed his pre-departure tests on Saturday and is currently in isolation in Ahmedabad.

Prasidh Krishna named a reserve in India's squad for England tour

How will Prasidh Krishna fare in England?

In a testimony to his meteoric rise in the international circuit, Prasidh Krishna was also named among the standby players for India's all-important tour of England.

The six-Test trip in June-September comprises of the much-anticipated World Test Championship final and a five-match series against Joe Root's England.

Other standby players include Bengal batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran, Delhi Capitals pacer Avesh Khan and Gujarat left-arm pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla.

India's 21-man main squad includes seasoned pacers Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah as well as stars of the Australian tour Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur. Prasidh Krishna's chances, therefore, might come few and far between.

However, with a month-long gap between the WTC final and the England Tests, the pacer will have enough time to impress team management and skipper Virat Kohli.

The Karnataka pacer has a decent first-class record as well, with 34 wickets in nine games at an average of just over 20.

ICYMI - A look at #TeamIndia's squad for the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and the five-match Test series against England. 👇Standby players: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla pic.twitter.com/17J050QVT3

— BCCI (@BCCI) May 7, 2021