HIT WICKET MY HEART 3.0 **COMPLETE**

TAKE 15 - Whirlwind

But now within just about 30 minutes of these developments – as the celebrations continue at our end – The entire Men in Blue squad and all the playing 11 players especially the top order batsmen – are being bashed online by the cricketing fans  left,right, and centre(yet again) . I think their strategy was that they wanted to keep their wickets in hand and play the middle overs slow and steady then accelerate their run rate towards the end which might have worked in their favour if the game had gone on to be played till the end. But given that D/L came into place to decide the result eventually – that very strategy backfired.So now - their top order batsmen along with Skipper Dev are being bashed so bad back in the online world in India for the decision to play the middle overs slowly. And their bowling unit is being bashed – because all the main bowlers combined gave about a couple of wides/extras each adding another 10 runs to our total with those extras. So everyone up online is now like – if only our bowlers hadn't leaked away those cheeky extra's.

Ughhh. It's crazy.

So ofcourse its only obvious that my heart is caught up in all this worry for Arnav – right now.He's being bashed so bad too – along with everyone else. On an individual level though – personally the ODI series went well for him nonetheless. He took 3 wickets every match taking his wicket tally upto 9 this ODI series and also bowled at a decent economy never leaking away too many runs. He also scored 45 runs and 40 runs in the first two ODI's and went not out. Today he didn't get to bat.

Wait.

My Whtsapp lights up.

Him : hey you...my fiore...just got on the bus...texting you the minute I took the seat. And yes...my darling...please know that I am totally biting back my grin picking on the essence of all your worry for me yet again.(Wink emoticon)

I bite back my worry.I totally can imagine him smiling to himself as he wrote that.

Me : Arnav..please..don't joke about this. I am serious. I am so worried because of the way you and your entire unit is being bashed online right now too...please talk to me about your headspace...I need to know..if you..okay..again..k?? please just answer me first..k?

Him : okay...okay...alrighty....I will answer you first...I am okay darling..yes like I said prior we were all a tad bit disappointed momentarily given that we couldn't complete the game obviously. But it's okay. Such things happen. At times the gaming strategy doesn't work in our favour and yes even though it feels disappointing for a bit to gulp that down – we as a unit know that – that's also where our learning lies. So we are just going to learn from this - pick on the positives and move on to the T20's determined – nonetheless. And once again – please do not worry about the online bashing bit again – you know it's a part and parcel of our lives.We are all used to it.It isn't bothering me at all...k? You know me baby...I am all about controlling my inputs within. Smile..please? a little...at the least..for my sake??

I sigh in part relief.

Me : Thank god – you are okay...that's all I really care about actually. Plus...I think I am the one who is supposed to cheer you up Arnav..given the situation and not the other way round..k? but look...to be honest...I just think it's going to take me a while to get used to the feeling of you getting bashed up online. I don't like it. I can't take it. Just makes me wana make another disguised profile on Instagram only so that I can give it back to these bashers too. I want to give it back to them Arnav.To each and every one of them. I told you prior a freaking zillion times already – even when you all were being bashed after the loss in the second ODI. You won't just let me.