Former Indian cricketer Dilip Joshi is not impressed with Virat Kohli for leaving Australia to witness the birth of his child. He feels this is the time when his team needs his services at the helm. The regular Indian skipper left for India on Tuesday after giving a motivating speech to the squad.
India is currently gearing up for the Boxing Day Test against Australia. The tourists are already losing the series by 1-0 and they are expected to mark a strong comeback in the upcoming affair. But, they will be led by Ajinkya Rahane instead of Virat Kohli. The latter has gone on paternity leave to be with his wife for the birth of their child. He received mixed reactions over the same from across the globe.
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Dilip Joshi Not Happy With Virat Kohli On Leaving Team India
In the previous game, Team India collapsed like pack of cards in the second innings against Australia. They recorded the lowest ever total in the history of Indian Test cricket. The players are low in confidence and everyone needed their skipper to lead the side with an example. But that is not the case and they will take the field at Melbourne Cricket Ground without Kohli.
Dilip Joshi was highly critical about Virat Kohli leaving Team India in mid-way. He said that national duty comes first in any circumstances. The former player added that he would have been at the place of Virat Kohli then he would have not left the side in mid-way.
Meanwhile, Dilip Joshi asserted that BCCI had no choice but to provide Kohli with paternity leave. At the moment, Team India is under immense pressure and they need someone to lead from the front in the upcoming games. But, Ajinkya Rahane will lead the side and it is going to be a difficult series for the visitors.
“I know this is a modern phenomenon that people believe that they ought to be by the side of their family and spouses when they deliver a child. I understand all that. But when you are on a national duty… If I put myself in his shoes, I wouldn’t have gone. For me, national duty comes before everything else,” Doshi told Sportskeeda during an online interaction with journalist Indranil Basu.
“This is a highly individual and institutional approach. Legally, you cannot stop somebody from doing that. The cricket board cannot have a rule saying the players cannot go and be on the side of their spouses for such an occasion. Personally, I wouldn’t have gone,” added Doshi.
“To me, captaining India would be the prime-most thing on my mind. It’s a sinking ship. This is the time when they need their captain the most. If you leave at this time, you are leaving the side to your deputy with a lot of questions unanswered. I only hope and pray that the team shows enough character to come out of this,” Doshi further added.
