>>34025296This is actually my unironic headcanon.
The designs match up so well (Although you have to take into consideration that Kris is technically not canon, unless they canonize her through the multiverse)
The only flaw in this is that there are probably multiple grunts so these aren't supposed to be a specific character. But who knows, in a world where Giovanni wasn't defeated in Gen 1, maybe the Gen 2 protags in Johto would have just joined Team Rocket as the smart way to secure a steady income and first Pokémon, they wouldn't have to know any better. People didn't seem convinced that Rocket were super evil when you first see them in gen 1.
