The current India-Australia series has had its share of verbal exchanges on the field, but the one thing it has certainly not been found lacking in is a sense of humour. With the ethics and behaviour of this Australian side being under scrutiny following the ball-tampering scandal, the players had to put on a more sanitised front when they took the field during their home season. But that didn’t stop television producers from cranking up the stump microphones to get a feel of the chatter. And the players have given scribes some tasty spin-off stories over the last three Tests.
At the forefront is Tim Paine, Australia’s stand-in captain following Steve Smith’s ban. Paine’s been busy behind the stumps engaging with Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant, trying to distract them while batting.
The latest side story that has got social media talking is an Instagram story posted on Tuesday by Tim’s wife Bonnie. She posted a picture of Pant holding one of her kids, she holding the other, with the caption “Best babysitter @rishabpant”, at the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s residence.
During the Melbourne Test, Paine helped himself to some lighthearted sledging on Pant, one of the juniormost members of the squad. Paine reminded Pant of his omission from the one-day international squad, suggesting that the young, aggressive wicketkeeper could join him for the Hobart Hurricanes in the ongoing Big Bash League.
“Hits sixes and fours for fun,” said Paine from behind the stumps. “Big MS (Dhoni) is back in the one-day squad too, we might get him (Pant) down to the (Hobart) Hurricanes this bloke. We need a batter.
“Fancy that, Pantsy? Surely, extend your little Aussie holiday. Beautiful town Hobart too, I’ll get you a nice apartment on the waterfront. (I’ll) have him over for dinner. Can you babysit? I’ll take the wife to the movies one night and you’ll look after the kids.”
Later in the Test, when Paine came out to bat, Pant seized an opportunity to give it back.
“We got a special guest today,” quipped Pant. “Have you ever heard of a temporary captain, ever?
He (Paine) loves to talk that’s the only thing he can do.”
If Pant does indeed take up Paine’s job offer, his kids would have a “special guest” at home.
