'It's okay, you can afford it' - Kapil Dev on Virat Kohli taking paternity leave from Australia tour

Kapil Dev and Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev, along with his wife Anushka Sharma, took a paternity leave from Australia to support current captain Virat Kohli, who is due to give birth to his first child in the month of January. The 32-year-old will be part of the T20I and ODI series, but will leave Australia after the first Test starting on 17 December.

Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had discharged him, which meant that the national team would not serve in the Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane Tests. Including many experts Harbhajan Singh, Sunil Gavaskar, Australian Test captain Tim Paine etc. have considered how Kohli’s absence could be desired for Team India.

“Don’t think we could afford to go and come back. He’s sure. Sunil Gavaskar didn’t see his son for many months. It was a different thing. Look, things change. If I talk about Kohli Karun, when his father died, he came back the next day playing cricket. Today he is taking leave for his child. It’s fine, you can afford it, “Kapil told HTLS 2020 in a video conference. I said

Kapil says that I am happy for Virat Kohli

Kapil, also of 1983 world Cup-The Indian captain congratulated Virat for taking leave and for the birth of his newborn.

“You can buy a plane and go back and come back in three days. I feel happy and proud that today players have reached a level where they can do so. I am happy for Virat. He is coming back to see his family. I understand that you have a passion but the biggest passion is that he is a child, ”he said.

Delhi-born Kohli is currently in Sydney where Team India is moving ahead of international fixtures and undergoing training. The players reached the capital city of New South Wales on 13 November following the conclusion of the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL), which ended on 10 November.

The tour gets underway with the opening ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 27 November. After this there will be T20 series followed by Tests.