The armed ranger stationed outside the Pakistan dressing room at the Gymkhana grounds in downtown Hyderabad can't immediately recognise the burly gentleman making his way up to greet the team.
That burly gentleman is Matthew Hayden, no stranger to the Pakistan camp, having been batting consultant with them at two T20 World Cups. For the security personnel on duty, however, he's no VIP. He eventually sits outside the dressing-room steps and waits for "his boys" ahead of their training session.
"Hey, Ferrari, good to see you. All set, eh?" Hayden greets Haris Rauf as he sits down on the steps. "Ferrari, who is Ferrari? I don't have one," Rauf replies with a laugh. "It's a name I coined for you at the T20 World Cup. You're Ferrari, mate," Hayden says.
It's a steamy afternoon in Hyderabad with temperatures touching 35 degrees and the humidity is much higher than usual for early October. Hayden wipes beads of sweat off his forehead while wearing his signature hat. Shadab Khan soon joins them on the steps.
"Why do you wear that hat always?" Shadab casually asks as he takes it off Hayden's head. "Bald surface, just like the Hyderabad pitch, it's shiny too." By now, there's plenty of laughter and back slapping that amuses the other players inside the change room.
All this happens within five minutes of Pakistan's arrival at the ground amid tight security. So tight that I've had to stay put inside the venue for three hours straight, long after the Sri Lankan team has left. If I exited, even for a toilet break, chances are I may not have been allowed back in. It wasn't worth the risk after going back and forth for nearly 90 minutes with police and organisers enter the ground.
Anyway, back to our story.
Within five minutes of the team arriving, Babar Azam is ready, armed with three bats. He greets Hayden on the way out. "When did you come," he asks. "Just got here from Mumbai," Hayden quips. "Where are off next?" Babar goes.
"Ahmedabad," comes the reply. They exchange high-fives as Babar walks off for some centre-wicket training. "What's happening there?" Shadab asks with a mischievous smile. "The whole world is going to be there on the 14th I hear."
They all laugh and disperse. Babar keeps batting. It's been nearly 45 minutes since he started and there's no sign of him stopping any time soon. I decide to leave, to make the long trip across the city for the press conference in 45 minutes.