Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said that he won’t judge Rohit Sharma’s decision to miss the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He also added that fans have divided opinions on the Indian captain’s potential absence as well. Notably, the first Test of the five-match series between India and Australia will start in Perth on Friday, November 22. Rohit and his wife were
blessed with a baby boy recently, with reports suggesting that Rohit will miss the series opener as he wants to spend time with his family as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “Some reports have come and the biggest among them is that Rohit Sharma is not going now. He will be missing the first Test and be available for the second match. There is polarized opinion on this, whether he is doing right or wrong. I am not going to judge. You also please don’t judge. The question earlier was about the first or second Test coinciding with the delivery of the baby and you want to be there because, in all fairness, you play 50 to 100 Tests in your life but have only one or two kids, and you want to be there.”

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“However, when the baby has been delivered, the question arises whether he should go because there is a week’s gap in between. So why not go and play for Team India because the team needs you a lot there? That question is being asked,” Chopra further added.

However, Aakash Chopra also shared a few similar past instances, with Sunil Gavaskar being in New Zealand when Rohan Gavaskar was born, and Virat Kohli coming back home after the first Test of the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the birth of his first child as well. Chopra also added that times have changed, with paternity leave now being provided. He also stated that Rohit Sharma shouldn’t be compared with soldiers on the border as well.

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“Don’t say that the soldiers are standing on the border even when they are having kids or problems at home. No two individuals are same. Everyone has their own priority in life and we must respect that. So if Rohit has decided that he doesn’t want to go, whether it’s his family’s or his own decision, he wants to spend a little more time with the family, wife, and baby, it’s okay. It’s a personal call. I will leave it at that. I expect that you also don’t dig too much into it,” Aakash Chopra concluded.