India captain to leave Australia tour early
NEW DELHI: India captain Virat Kohli will return home from Australia after the opening test in Adelaide next month to attend the birth of his child, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said yesterday.
Kohli's deputy, Ajinkya Rahane, will lead India in the final three tests of the tour, which begins in Sydney on November 27 with the first of six twenty20 internationals.
At the October 26 selection committee meeting, Kohli informed the BCCI of his plans to return home after the daynight test in Adelaide from December 17, board secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.
``The BCCI has granted paternity leave to the Indian captain,’’ Shah said.
Kohli's actress wife, Anushka Sharma, is pregnant with their first child.
The BCCI announced changes to the touring party after several players sustained injuries in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
Opener Rohit Sharma has been added to the test squad after initially being left out of the touring party because of a hamstring niggle.
Quick Ishant Sharma, who was also omitted initially because of a muscle tear, would be added to the test squad should he recover in time.
The Indian board confirmed test wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has injured both his hamstrings in the IPL and a call on his availability will be taken later.
Rishabh Pant is the other wicketkeeper in India's test squad.
Sanju Samson has joined the oneday team as an additional wicketkeeper, while quick T Natarajan replaced spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who sustained a shoulder injury, in the twenty20 side. — Reuters