Australia head coach Justin Langer on Friday (November 13) hailed Virat Kohli for putting family before cricket.
Kohli will miss three Tests in the upcoming Australia tour due to the birth of his first child. The Indian skipper and his wife Anushka Sharma are expecting a child in January, and he has been granted permission by the BCCI to return home after the Test series opener.
See Also: Australia to win the Test series "quite easily" in Kohli's absence - Vaughan
The battle for the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy will kick-start with the pink-ball affair at the Adelaide Oval on December 17. Melbourne will host the second Test from December 26 while the third and fourth Tests will be played in Sydney Cricket Ground (January 7-11) and Brisbane's Gabba (January 15-19), respectively.
"Virat Kohli 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," Langer told reporters by video conference.
"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).
"He's 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."
Kohli will captain the visitors India in three ODIs, three T20Is and the first Test before heading home.
His absence certainly improves Australia's chances of avenging their home Test series defeat to India two years ago.
"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 added.
Meanwhile, Australia on Thursday (November 12) announced a 17-man squad for the four-match Test series against India.
Western Australia all-rounder Cameron Green has earned his maiden Test call-up while the squad also sees the comeback of Victorian opener Will Pucovski.
However, Langer strongly suggested that Joe Burns would open for Australia alongside David Warner in the first Test against India.
"Pucovski's been amazing hasn't he, and that's what we're looking for. We want guys who are outside the team to bang so hard you can't ignore them," the coach said. "And the fact is Will's been so good, we can't ignore him.
"That said, I've also been consistent with the messaging since last summer, the last time we played Test cricket, that we loved the combination of Joe Burns and David Warner.
"They have a real synergy, they work well together, have chemistry. So at this point I'd say that will remain the same."
(With AFP inputs)
