Australian great Steve Waugh said on Tuesday he was surprised and disappointed that India captain Virat Kohli will miss three Tests to be at the birth of his first child, with his absence detracting from the blockbuster series. Kohli, 32, and his Bollywood star wife Anushka Sharma are expecting a child in January, and Kohli has been given permission by the BCCI to return home after the first Test in Adelaide, which begins on December 17.

While the absence of the superstar batsman could improve Australia's chances of regaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy, it is a blow to broadcasters and cricket chiefs already feeling the effects of a pandemic-affected year. "I'm a little bit disappointed he's not going to be there—and a bit surprised," former skipper Waugh, who played 168 Tests, said.