COURTESY HT NOV 10

Kohli to go on paternity leave after 1st Aus Test

HT Correspondent

letters@hindustantimes.com

Mumbai : India skipper Virat Kohli will return home after the first Test during the defence of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, which starts on December 17. Kohli has been granted paternity leave to return home and be with wife Anushka Sharma, who is expecting their first child.

The Indian cricket board confirmed on Monday that the team’s best batsman informed national selectors at their meeting on October 26 of his plan to return after the first Test in Adelaide. Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane will lead in the next three Tests.

Rahane has led India in two Tests, winning both. It includes the series-clinching fourth game against Australia at Dharamsala in 2017. Under Kohli, India made history in 2018-19 by winning their first series in Australia 2-1.

A selection committee meeting held on Sunday included the two experienced campaigners recovering from injury—Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma—in the Test squad.

Rohit, who injured his left hamstring in Mumbai Indians’ game on October 18 and missed the next four games, has been kept out of the white-ball teams against Australia. The series starts with ODIs with the first game to be played in Sydney on November 27.

“The BCCI medical team has been monitoring Rohit Sharma’s fitness… In consultation with him (Rohit), it has been decided to rest him for the ODIs and T20Is in Australia to regain full fitness for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” a BCCI statement said.