Despite Virat Kohli leaving Australia to return to Mumbai for the birth of his first child, the controversy around him taking paternity leave doesn’t seem to leave him any time soon.
Recently, Sunil Gavaskar, calling out the biases prevailing in the Indian cricket team, explained how bowlers like Ravichandran Ashwin are sidelined if they do not pick “heaps of wickets” while established batsmen enjoy permanent spot despite their failures.
He further goes on to point out the biased treatment among players when it comes to personal issues. Gavaskar, certainly criticising Kohli’s paternity leave decision, compared the same with T Natarajan’s situation.
He said that T Nataraja was “forced” to stay back as a net bowler after the birth of his daughter following his brilliant performances in the limited-overs cricket.
“A match winner, albeit in another format, being asked to be a net bowler. He will thus return home only after the series ends in the third week of January and get to see his daughter for the first time then. And there is the captain going back after the first Test for the birth of his first child. That’s Indian cricket. Different rules for different people. If you don’t believe me ask Ravi Ashwin and T. Natarajan,” Gavaskar wrote.
Gavaskar’s dig at Kohli and the management surely irked the fans who tagged his comments as ‘sheer hatred” for Kohli.
Abey kohli ne 5 month pahele apply kiya tha Natarajan naya hai usko carrier banana hai kohli ka bana hua hai. Pagal hai kya gavaskar
— Raj Thakar (@RajThak43420624) December 24, 2020
Rather than blaming Kohli, Gavaskar should have urged BCCI to institutionalise paternal leave to all players so that new players can take it without feeling insecure about their place. If all other professions give paternity leave, why not professional cricket?
— Venky (@venkybengaluru) December 24, 2020
And of course, there was another group of people fully in support of Sunil Gavaskar’s point of view.
Yes, Mr. Gavaskar is right. Kohli going back for the birth of his first child is emotional, manh current players does that. However considering the loss we had in first test, he should have stayed back with the team and help leveling the series.
— Naveen Shandilya (@ShandilyaNaveen) December 24, 2020
Meanwhile, a day ahead of the ODI clash, Kohli made his stance very clear over why he chose to return home to be with Anushka.
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The second test between India and Australia will begin on December 26.
