Indian wicketkeepers are ideal babysitters. Ask Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. While the talented cricketers may be facing stiff competition as to who gets to play and keep wickets for Team India in the remainder of the ODI matches against England, KL was the chosen one in the series opener where he replaced Pant. But that’s not the only spot where KL Rahul may have replaced Pant. After the stunning victory in Pune where India engineered an incredible comeback to defeat England by 66 runs, the team ventured out in the city for an outing and have a chill time together.
Several photos from the team outing went viral across social media but perhaps it was the one shared by chief Ravi Shastri that was circulated widely.
“The pack that stays together. Bubble or no bubble. Results will come and go for others to follow. Great day in lovely Pune,” Shastri wrote.
The pack that stays together. Bubble or no bubble. Results will come and go for others to follow. Great day in lovely Pune #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/ErKLBgn9N9— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) March 24, 2021
While the photo showed the India cricketers having a good time as one would expect and posing for the camera, KL Rahul, however, grabbed the attention of fans for all the right reasons. The wicketkeeper-batsman was photographed babysitting Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic’s baby Agastya in the background.
People noticed and they think KL Rahul may have replaced Pant as a babysitter as well.
@Cricket_Love07 see KL holding baby Agatsya. Rate KL rahul as Baby Sitter. I think he is practicing for future.— Pritam Thakare (@thakare_pritam) March 24, 2021
KL Rahul the keeper, The wickets and the Baby.. #KLRahul https://t.co/pfv3nfq1qs— (@AndeDursu) March 24, 2021
The new baby sitter KL rahul — Berlin (@thecivilguyy) March 24, 2021
Everything is good but KL Rahul holding Hardik Pandya's baby boy is so cute https://t.co/Tom20dyWVG— Shivani Shukla (@iShivani_Shukla) March 24, 2021
And there is KL Rahul baby sitting Agastya https://t.co/DvHcwZkexV— Super_Girl (@Super_Girl_Uma) March 24, 2021
my favourite part about this photo is KL Rahul with Pandya's baby https://t.co/4y2ngf9UMi— श्रीदा (@ShreedaAggarwal) March 24, 2021
There's stiff competition between KL Rahul and Pant not only for Wicket Keeper position but also for 'Baby sitter' title now!— ಶ್ರೀವತ್ಸ ಶೃಂಗೇರಿ (@srivathsacm) March 24, 2021
KL Rahul with baby Agastya.❤️ pic.twitter.com/qlE1btSA9H— Aman (@AmanAsimSquad) March 24, 2021
See KL holding baby Agastya there. Indian WK bats are always reliable babysitters #INDvsENG https://t.co/3PCrEuepTh— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) March 24, 2021
Back in 2019-20 series against Australia, constant banter between pant and Tim Paine earned the former the title of Indian team’s babysitter.
This was in reference to Pant and Aussie captain and wicket-keeper Tim Paine’s on-field chatters during the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
It all began on Day 3 when Paine taunted Pant about being left out of the ODI squad and asked if he could babysit.
“Tell you what, big MS is back in the one-day squad too, we might get him (Pant) down to the (Hobart) Hurricanes this bloke, we need a batter,” Paine had said from behind the stumps.
#AUSvIND Scenes of @RishabPant777 dancing to our song; ‘We’ve got Pant’ !.‘We’ve got Pant Rishab PantI just don’t think you’ll understandHe’ll hit you for a six He’ll babysit your kids We’ve got Rishab Pant’. #BharatArmySongBook #BharatArmy #12thMan #COTI pic.twitter.com/l9WoTlqLnu— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) January 8, 2019
“Fancy that Pant? Extend your little Aussie holiday? Beautiful town Hobart too. Get you a nice apartment on the water-front. “Have him over for dinner. Can you babysit? (Can I) take the wife to the movies one night, you can look after the kids?” he had further added.
Taking the banter off the field, Paine’s wife, Bonnie shared a picture on her Instagram page to continue the laughs where Pant could be seen babysitting Paine and Bonnie’s kids.