The Australian all-rounder, Marcus Stoinis feels that the Indian skipper, Virat Kohli leaving the Australian tour early will only mean that he will be extra motivated to score runs in the three ODIs and as many T20Is. After the limited-overs series, Australia and India will play a four-match Test series. The two teams are currently quarantining in Sydney, the venue of the 1st match of the ODI series on November 27.

Kohli will head back to Mumbai after playing the limited-overs series and the first Test against Australia to be with his wife for the birth of his first child with wife Anushka Sharma in January next year. However, Stoinis laughed off suggestions that the run machine would be feeling any extra motivation to prove his worth in the limited-overs series. 

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On Saturday, during a media interaction, Stoinis said, “Don’t worry about Virat; he’s up for every single game that he’s playing. I don’t think you can get any extra motivation than 110 percent… he’ll be ready to go. We’ve got our strategies (against him), had things that have worked in the past, but other times the plans haven’t worked and he’s made some runs … hopefully, things land on our side of the court (this summer).”

Acknowledging the fact that he is a “big fan” of Virat Kohli, former Australia captain Allan Border said that India will miss the passion and aggression which the India captain brings on the field.

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Border had explained, “Look, 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. He is a special player, has serious talent, and is part of this new India — that’s the way I look at it. The way India play the modern game, they have a very positive mindset, and Virat has led the way very well in those areas. I am a big fan.”