Former Australia captain Steve Waugh was surprised and disappointed to know that India captain Virat Kohli will miss three Tests to attend the birth of his first child.
Kohli and his actress wife Anushka Sharma are expecting their child in January next year, and the cricketer has been granted permission by the BCCI to return home after the first Test in Adelaide, which begins on December 17.
Though Kohli's absence is a good news for Australia as they are looking to regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy, it is a blow to broadcasters and cricket chiefs who are already bearing the brunt in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
"I'm a little bit disappointed he's not going to be there -- and a bit surprised," former skipper Waugh, who played 168 Tests, said.
"This was really shaping up as one the key series of his whole career after he's achieved just about everything. But obviously family comes first."
India are set to leave for Australia two days after the IPL final. The Indian contingent will spend a mandatory two weeks in quarantine in Sydney before the first ODI on November 27.
Kohli will lead India in three ODIs, three T20Is and the first Test, which is a Day-Night Test, before leaving for home.
The second Test is scheduled to start in Melbourne on December 26 followed by matches in Sydney on January 7 and Brisbane on January 15, all played under strict bio-security protocols.
