Hailing India captain Virat Kohli for putting family first, Australia head coach Justin Langer advised his players to "never, ever miss the birth of your children". (More Cricket News)
Kohli, who led India to their first-ever Test series win Down Under during the last tour, will return home after the opening Test in Adelaide to be with his actor wife Anushka Sharma for the birth of their first child in early January. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already granted him paternity leave.
Kohli is "a human being like all of us... if I was giving advice to any of my players I would always say never, ever miss the birth of your children because it is one of the great things you'll ever do," Langer said.
The former Australian batsman also revealed his respect for Kohli, saying he "is probably the best player I've ever seen in my life for so many reasons, not only batting but his energy and passion for the game, the way he fields."
"I cannot believe he displays the energy he does in everything he does and I've got so much respect for him. I've also got respect for him in the sense that he's made this decision (to return for the birth)," Langer added.
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India's tour of Australia comprises three ODIs, as many T20 Internationals and four Tests. The series begins on November 27. The Tests start on December 17 in Adelaide.
Kohli will, however, lead Men in Blue in three ODIs from late November and three Twenty20 internationals, and the first Test, which will be India's first-ever away day-night match.
"Of course it will have an impact (his absence), but we also know that India beat us last time (in 2018-19). They're a very, very good team, we cannot get complacent for a second with or without Virat," Langer said.
Langer also hinted that Australia are likely to stick with Joe Burns at the opening position with David Warner for the first Test despite young Will Pucovski's incredible form.
Burns averaged 32 for Australia last summer and had a below-par start to the Marsh Sheffield Shield season with 57 runs at 11.40.
The 22-year-old Pucovski, on the other hand, has produced successive double hundreds, scoring 202 against Western Australia after an unbeaten 255 against South Australia.
"Will Pucovski is doing everything that's humanly possible to play that first Test, and that's something we have to weigh up ...," Langer was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
"...last time we played Test cricket, we loved the combination of Joe Burns and David Warner. They've got a real synergy, they work well together, so at this point I'd say that'll remain the same."
Burns and Warner has scored 1,365 runs at 50.56 as an opening pair, playing an important role in Australia's ascent to the top of the ICC Test rankings.
"...we should (also) never underestimate the job the guys have done to get us to where we are, and that philosophy and attitude has been a really strong part of the success of Australian cricket for a long time," Langer said.
"We went through a period where there was lots of ins and outs, and in my view, we should back the guys in there. That can change, but it's a pretty strong philosophy to stick to."
India will start the four-Test series with the Day-Night game in Adelaide on January 17, and Langer believes the opening position will get much clearer after Australia's first three-day tour game.
"It's always nice when you're going into a Test match for the players to know as far out as possible who's going to be playing," he said.
"Things can change, but I'd say (the media) will have a better idea who's going to open in the first Test match after that first Australia A game."
(With agency inputs)
