Virat Kohli leaves Australia, tells team to express themselves under Ajinkya Rahane

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New Delhi, December 22: India skipper Virat Kohli left Australian shores on Tuesday (December 22) having handed over the mantle of captaining the Test team in the remaining three games to Ajinkya Rahane.

As Kohli and Anushka Sharma are expecting their first child, the batsman requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for paternity leave.

The BCCI obliged and Kohli was set to play only the pink-ball Test. Kohli left for India after having a meeting with his teammates and boosted their morale after what was a demoralising loss to Tim Paine's boys in the first game of the four-match Test series.

Being bundled out for just 36 in the second innings of the Adelaide Test saw fans and critics lash out at the Indian team, but skipper Kohli wants the team to move forward and look at what lies ahead.

"Kohli has left Australia today morning. He had a word with the whole unit before leaving and the idea was to boost the confidence of the boys and keep them positive. He officially handed over the mantle of captaincy to Rahane and asked the team to keep showing intent and express themselves on the pitch. With Rohit Sharma set to join the squad only after the second game, Rahane's role becomes all the more important in guiding the youngsters," a source told ANI.

Rohit, meanwhile, is quarantining in Sydney and there has been no talks around moving him from the city after the fresh outbreak of COVID-19 cases.