Tim Paine's 'Babysitter' Sledge to Rishabh Pant

29 December 2018·Australia vs India·3rd Test, Melbourne·1 min read·Severity: Mild

Summary

Tim Paine sledged Rishabh Pant behind the stumps by offering to babysit Pant's kids so he could come play for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash.

What Happened

One of the most entertaining sledging episodes in modern cricket came during the Boxing Day Test at the MCG in 2018. Australian captain and wicketkeeper Tim Paine was caught on the stump microphone engaging in an extended sledging campaign against India's young wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

Paine's most memorable line came when he said to Pant: "Tell you what, big MS is back in the squad too, so you might be babysitting. I'll take you to the Hurricanes, I'll even pick you up at the airport. We'll get you a nice apartment, get you a nice car... babysitting?" The exchange was humorous and went viral.

Pant took it in good spirits, smiling and occasionally responding. It was a welcome change from the more hostile exchanges earlier in the series. The "babysitter" sledge became one of the most quoted cricket moments of the year and showed a lighter side to the intense Australia-India rivalry. Paine was praised for sledging with humor rather than hostility, though India had the last laugh by winning the series.

⚖️ The Verdict

No action taken — it was widely seen as good-natured sledging and provided cricket fans with great entertainment.

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