Former Australian captain Allan Border said that India skipper Virat Kohli’s decision to take paternity leave will give the Australian cricket team a crucial benefit in the upcoming Test series, as per PTI report.

After the first Test in Adelaide on December 17, Team India skipper Virat Kohli will leave the tour for the birth of their first child with Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma.

“I think that is a big ‘out’ for India,” Border told The Times of India newspaper. Adding, “He is irreplaceable at the moment as a batsman and as a leader.

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Indian cricket team is set to play three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches prior to the Border-Gavaskar trophy Test series.

In 2018-19, Kohli led India to their first Test series victory in Australia on their last tour. But the home side were without batting stars Steve Smith and David Warner, who were on one-year ban period for ball-tampering.

Border said he was “very confident” of Australia’s chances this time around, expecting a 2-1 win thanks to their quality bowling attack and batting line-up bolstered by Smith and Warner.

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He said India could also struggle with the mental fatigue of spending weeks in “bubble” conditions so far from home. He further said the major factor would be Kohli’s absence.

“I love the way he plays his game – he wears his heart on his sleeve. I like his aggression and passion for the game. India as a team will miss that,” Border added.