India Vs. Australia: Former Captain Steve Smith Praises Virat Kohli For Taking Paternity Leave

Former Australian captain Steve Smith on Thursday backed Virat Kohli’s decision of taking paternity leave to be with his wife for the birth of their first child.

The upcoming first Test between India and Australia at the Adelaide Oval is set to be Kohli’s last assignment in Team India’s ongoing Down Under tour. In the remaining three Tests, which will be played in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, in all likelihood, will take over the charge.

"No doubt, it’s a big loss for India. Virat is a world-class player. I think you got to give him some credit, we all know how much he loves playing in Australia. But he is also a human being. He has got a life outside of cricket, a family that is starting," Smith was quoted by Hindustan Times, as saying in a press conference.

The last time India toured Australia, the home side were without their key batsmen Smith and David Warner, who were serving a year’s suspension following their role in the infamous ball-tampering in South Africa in the beginning of 2018. Kohli had led the Indian side to a memorable 2-1 win in the Test series and thereby had become the first-ever captain from Asia to triumph in a Test series Down Under.

"Credit to him for wanting to be there for the birth of his first child. We know how much he loves playing in Australia, how good he is, but as I said, credit should go to him for wanting to be there," Smith added in the same interview.

Out of the 1,604 runs Kohli has scored against Australia, 1,274 runs have come on the Australian soil from 12 Tests. Out of the seven centuries, he has hit against these opponents, six have come in Australia’s backyard. Kohli, who first played in Australia in 2011, averages 55.39 and this shows his dominance Down Under over the years.

The 31-year-old Smith, who is ranked No. 1 in the ICC Test rankings, also stated that the absence of Ishant Sharma in the Test series could be a concern for Team India. The veteran fast bowler was ruled out of the Border Gavaskar series after suffering a side strain while playing for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE.

"Ishant Sharma is probably a big loss for them at the start if he’s not available... He’s obviously played a lot of cricket. Maybe without him, it may not be the strongest. I’m sure they would like him to play," Smith added.

The first Test of the four-match series between India and Australia will start on Dec. 17 in Adelaide.