Australia vs India 2020-21: Virat Kohli to miss major chunk of Test series

Captain Virat Kohli and his fellow Team India members will fly off to Australia immediately after the IPL 2020 gets over on November 10. The hotly anticipated tour Down Under promises to be a closely fought affair as both teams are packed with talented players. But while the ODIs and T20s are crowd favourite formats, real cricket lovers will be eagerly awaiting the four-match Test series. The memory of the 2-1 victory in the corresponding series in 2018-19 will still be fresh in the minds of Indian fans. And they would be hoping for a similar outcome this time around as well.

Also Read: Out of IPL 2020, Virat Kohli shifts to Team India’s bio-secure bubble

But the Aussies might just have gotten their noses ahead even before a single bowl has been bowled. This is because of the news that Virat Kohli might not be available for a major part of the Test series. While this news might not go down well with many Indian fans, the truth is that the Indian captain will fly back home to be part of something much more important than a game of cricket.

Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma are expecting the birth of their first child in early January. The couple had announced the news of Anushka’s pregnancy earlier this year.

It is learnt that Virat Kohli had informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his decision to return to India at the selection committee meeting to pick the squad for the Australia tour. The Board, however, is likely make efforts to make sure that the 32-year-old can return for the last leg of the series by requesting the Australian authorities to relax the quarantine period for Kohli upon his return. But without a travel bubble between India and Australia, Virat Kohli is unlikely to join the squad again.

An official word regarding the skipper’s itinerary is not yet out.

With Kohli missing and Rohit Sharma’s participation in doubt due to fitness concerns, it remains to be seen how the Indian batting will cope with the pace heavy Australian bowling attack.

Also Read: India’s squads for Australia tour announced

India’s tour of Australia begins on November 27 with three ODIs followed by an equal number of T20s. The four-match Test series will begin with a Pink Ball Day/Night match in Adelaide on December 17. The other three matches will be played in Melbourne (Dec 26-30), Sydney (Jan 7-11, 2021) and Brisbane (Jan 15-19).

Featured Photo: Twitter/BCCI