Double delight for dad Jonty Rhodes after Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2017 triumph

Jonty Rhodes’ wife Melanie gave birth to their second child, Nathan John, barely two hours before Mumbai Indians played the IPL 2017 final against Rising Pune Supergiant. Their first child, India, was born during IPL 2013.

It was a dream Sunday for former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes as he was blessed with a baby boy, who they named Nathan John, hours before his side Mumbai Indians lifted their third IPL title in a nail-biting finish against Rising Pune Supergiant.

Jonty Rhodes’ daughter India turned 2 on April 23 as he was helping Mumbai Indians during IPL 2017. (Jonty Rhodes/Twitter)

Rhodes’ wife Melanie gave birth to the boy at Surya Child Care Hospital in Santacruz, the very hospital where she had given birth to their first child, a girl they named India.

“The baby is healthy and weighs 3.7 kg. The mother is doing very well too,” The Hindu quoted Dr Bhupendra Avasthi, paediatrician and founder of the hospital, as saying.

READ | Mumbai Indians beat Rising Pune Supergiant to win IPL 2017

Jonty Rhodes is the fielding coach of Mumbai Indians and has been instrumental in the side’s impressive run in the tournament.

His wife, Melanie reportedly came into the hospital at around 5:30 pm and went into labour immediately and opted for a water birth at the hospital.

“The water birth was extremely comfortable for her. She was up and walking around within an hour after delivery,” Dr Avasthi was quoted as saying.

READ | Mumbai Indians ‘masters’ of IPL 2017 due to players’ ‘freedom’: Rohit Sharma

India was born during the eighth edition of the IPL, when Mumbai Indians were again the eventual winners.

Jonty, however, was not present at the time of the baby’s delivery as he was in the Mumbai Indians dugout. He took to Twitter to announce the news.

“The prize before the prize @mipaltan? Nathan John “plunged” into the world at 6:20 pm on IPL final #poolbirth #earthmother #incredibleindia,” he stated on the micro-blogging website.