After receiving paternity leave from BCCI, India’s captain Virat Kohli opened up on his return between the test series against Australia. The Indian skipper will play only the first match of the four-test series and then fly back home for the birth of his first child.
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On Thursday, Kohli spoke about it during a virtual press conference and said that he had communicated his decision to the selection committee beforehand that he wanted to be with his wife Anushka Sharma.
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“The decision was made before the selection meeting that I will fly back before the first test. It was purely based on the fact that there was a quarantine period both ways. I wanted to go back in time to be with my wife at the birth of our first child, ”Kohli said during the press.
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Kohli described it as a special moment, saying that he always wanted to be by wife Anushka’s side when the couple’s son arrives. “It is a very, very special and beautiful moment in our lives and that was the reason for my decision that was communicated to the selectors,” he said.
Kohli has had great hitting success in Australia. He agreed with the fact that while it can be intimidating to play cricket here, good performance gets the respect it deserves.
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“It can be a very intimidating experience if you are not mentally prepared and (don’t have) the skills. In all sports they are very tough, the public can be tough on the traveling players and with good reason. But, if you perform well, they respect you a lot. As an athlete, I am a huge fan. The stadiums are incredible, always a pleasant journey full of challenges, ”said Kohli.
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