Virat Kholi’s Decision Sends A Strong Message To Men About Parenthood

MS Dhoni found out he was welcomed into fatherhood with a text message. The former cricket captain for India discovered this news via text message in 2015. At the time, Dhoni reportedly skipped the birth of his daughter to compete in the World Cup in Australia. 

Five years later, another Indian captain is faced with the same problem. India was set to play Australia, a contest between two arch-rivals. Virat Kohli decided to put his family before his profession. Kohli decided to take paternity leave, miss the big-time matchup, and be with his first child and his Bollywood wife Anushka Sharma. The child is expected in January, but anything could happen during the middle of December. 

The Statement On Parenthood

In India, cricket players are placed on a pedestal. Cricket is one of the most frequently played games on Royal Panda and is considered a must-watch sport. Even after big losses, items have been burned, families have been threatened and the proverbial Pandora’s box is opened. The matchup between India and Australia was another example of a big game, but Kholi is deciding to send a strong message about parenthood. 

Taken from Pixabay

The decision to put his family over cricket stirred mixed emotions among the community of India. For example, well-known cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted that Kohli’s decision to leave will make it a tougher tournament for India as a team. However, he agreed that “there is more to life than just his profession.” Also, author Rajdeep Sardesai is on record agreeing with the decision and believes that this could open the doors for other athletes to be with their families instead of missing major life events. 

The Idea Of Paternal Leave

Kholi’s decision could be the startup India needs on the platform of paternal leave. In 2017, the Indian Maternity Amendment Bill was passed and it increased the right to paid maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks. This is considered way more generous compared to other major countries such as the United States or France. However, when it comes to paternity leave, there are no national laws mandating leave for new fathers. Central government employees are the exceptions as they are granted 15 days of paternity leave. 

To some, to advance gender equality, it’s important for men to participate in domestic work and parenting. Having the father in the household does not just help the couple, but also the child too. The child is more likely to develop with an equal partnership coming from the parent. Since 2017, Indian Politician Rajeev Satav has promoted the Paternity Benefit Bill that would expand paternity leave from 15 days to three months. 

Traditional Indian homes see men as the ones that make money, while women are confined to raising the children. Raising children is seen as a threat to their “manhood” and strength. In 2019, female labour force participation stood at 27% compared to 96% from men. That’s why Kholi’s decision to leave his profession to be at home is such a groundbreaking decision for the future of change. More men could want to go down this route and Kholi helped get that started.