New Delhi, Feb 13: Young India wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has praised former India cricketer Virender Sehwag for showing him on how to be better at cricket and babysitting.
The talented cricketer from Delhi took to his Twitter handle and lauded Sehwag - now a commentator and TV presenter - for the latter's latest TV advertisement for the upcoming Australia tour of India.
Pant's tweet read, "Viru paaji showing me how to be better at cricket and babysitting - an inspiration always!"
Viru paaji showing me how to be better at cricket and babysitting — an inspiration always! 🙌@StarSportsIndia @virendersehwaghttps://t.co/IZvf9AqoJV
— Rishabh Pant (@RishabPant777) February 13, 2019
It was the Pant's stump-mic chatter with Aussie captain Tim Paine during the Test series in Australia which inspired the broadcasters to run the television campaign for the upcoming limited-overs series between the two teams.
Paine, during a Test match, asked 21-year-old Pant if he could babysit for him while he goes out with his wife. The entire conversation was caught on the stump mic which tickled the funny bones of the millions of cricket fans. Experts lauded the friendly on-field banter between the two wicketkeepers as the series progressed.
To spice up the rivalry between the two teams, StarSports India came up with a hilarious ad campaign in which Sehwag could be seen taking a swipe at the Australian side.
In the TV commercial, Sehwag could be seen babysitting a bunch of kids to convey the message that Team India is ready to dominate the Australian limited-overs side in their preparation to the upcoming ICC World Cup 2019 in England.
"Jab hum Australia gaye the, toh unhone poocha tha babysitting karoge? Humne kahaa sabke sab aajaao. Zaroor karenge." (When we went to Australia, they asked us if we could babysit. We say, all of you come to India. We will most certainly do so.)
Every baby needs a babysitter - 🇦🇺 and 🇮🇳 would remember this well! 😉
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 10, 2019
The Aussies are on their way and here's how @virendersehwag is welcoming 'em! Watch Paytm #INDvAUS Feb 24 onwards LIVE on Star Sports to know who will have the last laugh. #Babysitting pic.twitter.com/t5U8kBj78C
The ad campaign seemed to have done its trick as former Australia great Matthew Hayden took to Twitter and cautioned Sehwag and the Indians not to take the Aussies lightly.
"#bewarned. Never take the Aussies for a joke Viru Boy, just remember who's babysitting the #worldcup trophy," tweeted the legendary Aussie opener.
#BeWarned Never take Aussie’s for a joke Viru Boy @virendersehwag @StarSportsIndia Just remember who’s baby sitting the #WorldCup trophy https://t.co/yRUtJVu3XJ
— Matthew Hayden AM (@HaydosTweets) February 11, 2019
All this off-field banter has brilliantly set up the highly-anticipated limited-overs series between the two teams. Australia will play 2 T20Is and 5 ODIs against India.