Phulsari Bibi with Kaif. Picture by Surajit Roy

Malda, March 19: Twenty years from now, he could well pad up and guide Team India to victory. If he does so, Mohammed Kaif should be grateful to the dog that saved his life.

The newborn, wrapped in a plastic sheet, was abandoned by a drain in West Haidarpur area of the town, probably on Monday night. Till dawn, a street dog kept guard, watching over the baby who was too feeble to cry out loudly.

The dog’s mournful wails early in the morning alerted the area’s residents, who came to the spot and found the abandoned child. “Ants were swarming all over the baby’s body. But no harm came to him thanks to the dog,” said a local resident.

The people of the area rushed him to the sadar hospital. The residents could not say who had abandoned the child.

The baby boy has been “adopted” by a local mason Hakim Sheikh. His wife Phulsari Biwi said since they did not have a child, they would love to take responsibility of the baby.

The residents said the couple was the best suited to adopt the baby as they would look after him well. An avid cricket fan, Hakim has named the baby Mohammed Kaif, after the Allahabad batsman who steered India to victory over New Zealand.