Reports | Virat Kohli to tour Australia despite expected birth of first child
Kohli is set to be available for the tour of Australia
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A BCCI official has revealed that Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who announced on Thursday that he is all set to become a father, is likely to tour Australia for the four-Test series despite the expected birth of his first child. India are scheduled to tour Australia for four Tests, starting December.
While Indian skipper Virat Kohli took to social media platforms, on Thursday, to announce that he and his wife Anushka Sharma are expecting their first child in the month of January, the news came as a minor scare for the Indian Test side, who are scheduled to be in action versus Australia during the said time period. India are set to play Australia in a four-Test series Down Under, starting December 3, and while it is uncertain when exactly Kohli is expecting the birth of his child, the Indian skipper leaving the touring party will be a huge blow for the Indians who, in the case of Kohli leaving, will be without their skipper who averages 55 on Australian soil.
The announcement from Kohli, as heartwarming as it was, has also left a select group of fans anxious over the Indian Test side’s future, but speaking to Reuters, a BCCI official has confirmed that Kohli has not given any intimation to the board and has revealed that the Indian skipper will, most likely, be available for the tour Down Under.
"He's available for the tour, at least he has not said anything to the contrary," said a BCCI official, who asked to remain anonymous, reported TOI.
"Now, if he has to come back in the middle of the tour, he has not said anything about that either. Of course there's plenty of time before the series."
India’s chances of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under might very well depend on Kohli, who has 1274 runs and six centuries to his name on Australian soil. In fact, it was under the leadership of the 31-year-old that India on their first-ever Test series Down Under in 2018, when the touring Indians triumphed 2-1 over a Steve Smith-less Aussie side. This time around, though, Australia will have the services of both Smith and Warner, and thus the presence/absence of Kohli might determine which way the series sways.Â
