Australia’s star batsman Steve Smith on Tuesday (December 22) hailed India skipper Virat Kohli for putting family before cricket.
Kohli will miss the last three Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour due to the birth of his first child. The Indian captain and his wife Anushka Sharma are expecting a child in January, and he has been granted permission by the BCCI to return home.
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"Obviously, it's a big loss for India, not having him for the rest of the series. We just have to look at the way he played in the first innings. That was a pretty class display against some good bowling on a wicket that was doing a bit," Smith told reporters during a virtual press conference facilitated by the series' official broadcaster Sony Network.
"I just fist-pumped him at the end (of first Test) and said 'Mate safe travels, hope everything goes well with the baby, and pass on my best to your wife.' That was about it," he added.
"I'm sure there would have been a lot of pressure for him to stay but to stand up and want to go home for the birth of his first child, it's a credit for him. It's a milestone that he certainly wouldn't want to miss," he continued.
Kohli, who will head home on December 22, was the top-scorer from either side with 74 in the first innings of the Day-Night Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Despite taking a 53-run first innings lead, India the visitors suffered a humiliating 8-wicket defeat in the series opener as they got bowled out for a paltry 36 in the second essay.
Smith was also asked about legendary spinner Shane Warne's opinion that red ball is "pathetic" and pink ball should replace it in all Tests.
In reply, the No. 1 Test batsman said: “Personally I'd like to keep red-ball cricket alive. I think one series or something like that is a good amount. We've seen in Adelaide for instance it's worked exceptionally well, it's a great spectacle. We played some really good day/night games.”
"But I think overall, I'd like to personally play red ball cricket a lot," he further remarked.
(With PTI inputs)
