The latest example of a cricketer heading home in between a series is Australia's Nathan Coulter-Nile. Gavaskar stressed that while he understood the personal situation, what should be kept in mind is the "series situation" and the "team's balance."

Meanwhile, Gavaskar also pointed to India's Rohit Sharma not playing the vital Sydney Test against Australia in January to be with his wife and new-born daughter. "The baby had already been born during the third Test match so it was not a case of being with the wife for the birth of their first born. He could have thus gone after that so important fourth and final Test," wrote Gavaskar in a column that appears in today's mid-day.