Former England captain Michael Vaughan said that Australia should win the upcoming Test series against India "quite easily" with Virat Kohli slated to return home on paternity leave after the first of the four matches. The BCCI on Monday announced that Kohli has been granted paternity leave and will return to India after the first Test in Adelaide. Kohli and his wife Anushka are expecting their first child in January. Vaughan said that Kohli made the right decision to be there for the birth of his child, but said that Australia would be too strong for India without their captain.
"No @imVkohli for 3 Tests in Australia .. The right decision going to be at the birth of his first child .. but it means Australia will win the series quite easily IMO," Vaughan tweeted.
The four-match Test series will kick off with the day-night Test at Adelaide on December 17, followed by the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The third Test will begin on January 7 at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the fourth and final Test will be starting on January 15 and will be played at the Gabba in Brisbane.
When India last toured Australia in 2018-19, they recorded their first-ever Test series win Down Under.
Cheteshwar Pujara scored three centuries as India won the series 2-1.
Kohli's absence will be a big blow for the visitors, but India will be happy to have Rohit Sharma back for the Test series, after initially being left out of the squad due to a hamstring injury.