Brendon McCullum dropping off rugby gear at the Delhi Rebels Rugby Club. Photo / Supplied
Brendon McCullum dropping off rugby gear at the Delhi Rebels Rugby Club. Photo / Supplied
Former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum says travelling with the Prime Minister in India has been a new experience - with the security detail meaning he hasn't been mobbed by cricket-mad locals as per usual.
McCullum said he had enjoyed being part of John Key's trade delegation, and had evencalled on the Prime Minister to help him with his tie for the more formal occasions.
"I'm obviously not that good at it, or I haven't needed to do it. It's been cool, I've really enjoyed the experience."
Brendon McCullum at the Delhi Rebels Rugby Club. Photo / Supplied
McCullum - a promising rugby player himself in days of yore - found time to drop off rugby gear donated by the NZ High Commission to one of India's most famous rugby clubs.
The Delhi Rebels Rugby Club are growing the number of children playing union in the cricket-mad city.
McCullum is part of a 35-strong business delegation accompanying Prime Minister on a trip to Delhi this week. Photo / Supplied
McCullum's efforts impressed Indian media. The Indian Express reported McCullum taught the children how to spin the rugby ball before confessing he'd never been able to master the art of spin with a cricket ball.
The paper also praised his mastery of the spiral pass and said McCullum had modestly batted away the suggestion he could have been an All Black had he not opted to stick to cricket.
I had tight pants on, so if I was going to have to try and flick one of the rugby balls I was scared I was going to split my trousers.
"I sort of knew what I was doing," McCullum said of his coaching. "My biggest concern was I had tight pants on, so if I was going to have to try and flick one of the rugby balls I was scared I was going to split my trousers."
Key and his delegation - who are now travelling home - travelled in Delhi by motorcade, with roads completely closed off and heavily armed police spaced evenly along the route for kilometres.
"That was pretty impressive, I didn't think that could actually happen in India," McCullum said, saying he hadn't been mobbed by locals on this trip.
"We've got the greatest security I've ever had since I've been in India."
But that detail struggled to hold back worshippers at Delhi's Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, a famous Sikh temple, who this morning formed a 10-person deep scrum around Key and Bronagh as they were take through for a tour.
Amidst singing and chanting, those on the outside of the slowly moving huddle passed over presents for Key, as others sang and chanted.
In bare feet and wearing an orange head scarf, Key was eventually taken to the kitchen area where he served food to people waiting with bowels in the langar hall.
Earlier, there was a more tranquil visit to the Jama Masjid mosque, completed in 1656 and with a central courtyard that can fit 25,000 people (and hundreds of pigeons that swirled above as Key was escorted through).
Key met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, and emerged confident that free trade negotiations have been given real and fresh momentum.
While he was at those meetings, Bronagh visited Katha Lab School, run by an NGO, reading to them from Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy, by Lynley Dodd.
