Kolkata, Aug 17 - They hug and put their hands on each other's shoulders time and again. And they were quick to come to one another's rescue whenever the situation got tricky at a media interaction here.

The bonhomie between Indian cricket's Pathan brothers - Yusuf and Irfan - was very visible Monday. The Pathans of Vadodara were at a function organised by a telecom services company at a city hotel.

When Yusuf, two years older than Irfan, was asked about life without his brother in the Indian team, he shot back: 'I am with Irfan all the time throughout life.'

The questioner's allusion was to Yusuf's selection for the coming Sri Lanka tri-series and the Champions Trophy in South Africa, while Irfan has failed to make the cut.

'Last season also, Irfan was not there. But when I am in a team, then the team comes first, and not Irfan,' said the elder Pathan.

Irfan lost no time in defending his brother when a scribe asked him about Yusuf's earlier statement that the pacer had been dropped for reasons other than cricket.