Kohli will only lead the team in the first of four Trials, starting in Adelaide on December 17, before returning home for the birth of her first child.
There have been calls from some veterans for Kohli, the patron of India in all three formats, to transfer some of his captaincy duties permanently.
Tendulkar did not join in that debate, but said India’s “bank strength” would aid in its bid to win a second consecutive test series victory in Australia.
“When you lose an experienced player like this (Kohli) there is definitely a void,” Tendulkar, the record-maker and former captain of India, told AFP in an interview.
“But let’s understand, this is not about individuals. This is about our team and the best part of Indian cricket right now is that there is strength in the bench,” Tendulkar added.
“So Virat has to come back for personal reasons and some young man will have the opportunity to play in his place and that is an opportunity for someone else.”
Australia beat India in the one-day series 2-1, and the tourists reversed the result in the Twenty20 matches.
Kohli’s men, who enjoyed a historic first test series victory in Australia on their last tour in 2018-19, know it will be a more difficult proposition.
Australia is just ahead of India in the world test rankings and the Adelaide game will be India’s first day and night of five days on foreign soil.
Tendulkar, 47, said the current Australian team is much “stronger” with the best hitters. David warner Y Steve Smith back from the ball handling suspensions that kept them out two years ago.
“Since the last time Australia played India they have three big players. They have Warner, who is back in the team, Smith and (Marnus) Labuschagne,” Tendulkar said.
“This is a much better team compared to the last one. When a couple of its core members aren’t there, you suddenly feel that void and that’s what Australia felt.”
But Tendulkar insisted that the Indian bowling attack led by the fierce Jasprit bumrah and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is also stronger and can challenge Australia.
“Each era should be kept separate, I don’t like to compare,” he said, when asked if this was the strongest attack India has ever produced.
“But I can say that (India) is a complete bowling attack. So no matter what kind of surface you are playing on, you have all sides covered.
“You have bowlers who can move the ball. When it comes to variation and discomfort, that’s there too.
“Someone hitting the deck is there too. We have a wrist swivel, we have finger swivels.”
Tendulkar, a master of right-hand hitting, made his debut for India at just 16 years old in 1989 and set a streak of batting records before retiring in 2013.
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