When Virat Kohli Missed National Duties For Vamika's Birth

image-lr92167gVirat Kohli and Anushka Sharma with Vamika Kohli (x.com)

Virat Kohli and his unwavering commitment towards Indian cricket has enthralled sports enthusiasts the world over for nearly a decade. However, even the greatest sporting titans tend to take a break, especially for a time as significant as witnessing the birth of their first child.

Back in late 2020, Kohli found himself at a similar crossroads when he was tasked to chose between India’s high-octane Test tour of Australia, and the adjacent anticipated birth of his first child with wife Anushka Sharma.


When Virat Kohli skipped Australian Tests

In late 2020, the Indian team travelled to Australia for an all-format tour under the guidance of Virat Kohli. However, prior to the tour itself, Kohli confirmed his unavailability for the final three Tests of India’s four-match series ‘Down Under’.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) granted him a paternity leave, even though the move sparked outrage among a number of Indian cricket fans at the time.

Kohli did turn up for Team India in the first Test, where they were infamously folded up 36 in the second innings at the Adelaide Oval and eventually lost the match by eight wickets. His subsequent return to India prompted the team management to appoint stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane as national captain instead, who led the team’s spirit fightback to win the series 2-1.

Virat Kohli, meanwhile, welcomed daughter Vamika into his life on January 11. The date also marked the final day of the SCG Test, where Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari batted with immense grit to save the Test match for India.

Virat Kohli married Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma in 2017 at an extravagant ceremony in Italy. While the two initially kept Vamika away from media attention, her adorable pictures and footage are now frequently shared by them on social media.