India will take on Australia at home in two T20Is and five ODIs starting February 24.
The banter and war-of-words for the upcoming India vs Australia have begun. India will take on Australia at home in two T20 Internationals (T20Is) and five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) starting February 24.
Ahead of the tour, Virender Sehwag turned babysitter for a TV commercial about the series, making references to the Rishabh Pant-Tim Paine banter during India's recent tour of Australia.
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden was quick to react. He warned Virender Sehwag and India about taking the Australian cricket team lightly.
"#BeWarned Never take Aussie's for a joke Viru Boy @virendersehwag @StarSportsIndia Just remember who's baby sitting the #WorldCup trophy," Hayden tweeted.
In the advertisement for a TV channel, Sehwag can be seen with a bunch of kids wearing Australian jerseys, saying: "Jab hum Australia gaye the, toh unhone poocha tha babysitting karoge? Humne kahaa sabke sab aajaao. Zaroor karenge."
This whole babysitting joke began on the third day of the Boxing Day Test, when Australian captain and wicketkeeper Paine tried to distract Pant who was at crease with a question: "Do you babysit? I can take my wife to the movies while you watch the kids."
Paine's comment was a dig at the fact that Pant was to be return after the Test series as India went with MS Dhoni in the ODI series against Australia.
However, during Indian team's New Year meet with Australian Prime Minister, Pant was pictured with Paine's wife Bonnie and his kids and the photograph posted by Bonnie with the captain "best babysitter" went viral.
The joke became so big that the Bharat Army even dedicated a song to Babysitter Pant.
The first T20I between India and Australia will be held on February 24 in Bengaluru followed by second T20I on February 27 in Visakhapatnam.
India will play Australia in five ODI matches starting March 2 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. Nagpur will host the second ODI on March 5 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. Ranchi's JSCA International Stadium Complex will see the third ODI on March 8, followed by Mohali (March 10) and Delhi (March 13).
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