Australia head coach Justin Langer has hailed India captain Virat Kohli for taking paternity leave during the tour Down Under but conceded that his absence will definitely affect the visitors during the much-anticipated Test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Kohli will return home after the opening Test, which ends on December 21. He has been granted paternity leave by the BCCI to be with his actor wife Anushka Sharma for the birth of their first child in early January.

Family first

Langer said he respects Kohli for putting family ahead of cricket. "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 on Friday. "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]."