New Delhi, December 31: India cricketer Rohit Sharma had double reasons to celebrate following India's historic win in the Boxing Day Test as his wife Ritika Sajdeh gave birth to a baby girl on Sunday (December 30).
The couple have welcomed their first child the India cricketer - who was on national duty in Australia - will not be able to lend his services for the fourth Test match between India and Australia in Sydney, starting January 3.
As per reports, the middle-order Test batsman has flown down to India from Australia to be with his with his wife. He will return to Australia on January 8 to join the team for the three-match ODI series, starting January 12.
"It would've been great to have him (Rohit) around. Tactically, he brings so much to the side and then his batting provides the right kind of balance to the side. But what awaits him is far bigger and more important," a source was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
Rohit played well in Melbourne as he scored an unbeaten fifty as India declared their first innings at 443/7. The Mumbaikar, however, was dismissed for a duck in the second innings. If Rohit comes to India to be with his family, then he's certainly going to miss the fourth Test and the team management would have to look for his replacement. Off-spinner R Ashwin or Hardik Pandya might replace the right-handed batsman.
Meanwhile, Team India have left for Sydney where they'll lock horns with the Aussies in the fourth and final Test, starting January 3.
India captain Virat Kohli took to his Instagram handle to share an image with his actor wife Anushka Sharma and also revealed that the couple is going to welcome the new year together.
India defeated Australia by 137 runs in the third Test match in Melbourne on Sunday (December 30). Kohli and his boys restricted Australia to 261 in their second innings as the hosts were chasing a daunting target of 261. Jasprit Bumrah was awarded the Man of the Match for his figures of 9-63 in the game as India went 2-1 up to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
At Sydney, Kohli and his band would be looking for nothing less than a win and clinch the series 3-1 against the hosts.