Make your own kind of Music | A Shubman Gill x Ishan Kishan Fanfiction

The knockouts jinx

When their flight landed in Mumbai, Shubman found a message from Sara waiting in his phone: Text when you're done with practice.

Shubman's head went on overdrive instantly.

"Why do you think she said that?" he asked Ishan anxiously.

"You did just land in her city," said Ishan. "She probably wants to come and meet you."

"Come and m-meet me." Shubman tried to calm himself down. "Come and meet just me? Did she ask you to text too?"

Ishan sighed and said, "No. Will you stop overreacting? She's not as close to me, but she does consider you a close friend. You came to her city. She wants to meet. What's the big deal about that?"

Shubman had talked to Sara several times since the Asia Cup final, but they hadn't met. He did not know how Ishan could think it wasn't a big deal.

"You're always overthinking about something." Ishan pulled down their luggage from the overhead cabins and threw Shubman's bag on his lap harder than needed. "God, it's a full time job dealing with you."

"What should I reply?" asked Shubman.

"What would you reply if it was any other girl?" asked Ishan in turn.

"Um..." Shubman considered. "I would say...Can't wait to see me, baby? And I'd add a wink."

"Good lord," said Ishan. "You definitely can't say that to Sara."

Shubman's soul shriveled at the very idea. "Of course not."

"What would you say if it was Nisha?"

"I'd ask her to state her purpose behind asking that," said Shubman, smiling.

"That's ok with Nisha, but would be far too rude with Sara." Ishan sighed again. "Just. Just say ok and get your ass off the plane, everyone's left, Shubi."

***

During the warm up of their first practice session in Mumbai, disaster struck. They were playing football; Shreyas attempted a bicycle kick to rival Jaddu's volley and fell down heavily on his ankle. His groan brought everyone rushing to him.

His ankle was twisted the wrong way.

Ishan and Surya helped him stand up. Shreyas's face was ashen.

Rohit bhaiya was the last to reach, having called the physio on the way.

"Why-?" he shouted furiously. "Why would you try that stupid thing two days before the semi final?"

"I'm sorry-" Shreyas's famous confidence faded in the face of his captain's fury.

"Sorry? You idiot-"

Virat bhaiya put a calming arm around Rohit bhaiya's shoulder and told the physio to take Shreyas away to rest.

Rohit bhaiya glared after him and gave the football a violent kick, as if to send it outside his sight.

"Come on, Rohit, he's already upset," Ash said.

"What are we going to do?" Rohit didn't seem to have heard him. "What. Are. We. Going to do if he doesn't recover in time for the semi final?"

"It might be news to you, but that's why we travel with a squad of 15 members, Ro," said Jaddu.

Rohit bhaiya was clearly in the grip of a panic attack. He turned around wildly till he faced Ishan and Surya, who looked back warily.

"You two," said Rohit. "You two practice like you are going to play the semis, ok? Just get into that zone now."

With those words, Rohit bhaiya successfully transferred his panic attack into Ishan.

And Ishan wanted to storm to Shreyas and demand the same. Why would you try that stupid thing two days before the semi final?

***

Ishan could not eat anything for the rest of the day. Sara came to visit them at the hotel with home cooked food which everyone loved, but Ishan couldn't eat. When Shubman and Sara went for a walk, even the nice milk tea Hardik bhai brought him after he rejected Virat bhai's green tea went cold. Rohit bhaiya came to talk to him in the evening.

"I'm sorry I overreacted and scared you all, Ishu," he said in the tender voice he kept reserved for very few people. Ishan felt privileged to be amongst those few. "Even if Shreyas doesn't get well in time, it's going to be fine. We have you."

"I-I can't play directly in the semi final, Rohit bhaiya," said Ishan, his throat dry.

"Don't say that." Rohit bhaiya pulled him into a warm, warm hug.

"I'll mess it up."

"No, you won't. I have faith in you."

But I don't, thought Ishan.

***

The next day hurried by. Shreyas was still unable to put his weight on his ankle properly. Ishan was training, but he was still unable to eat or breathe properly.

"Who is overthinking now, Ishan?" Shubman had settled down to force-feed Ishan at lunch.

"That's different-I'm not scared I'll play horribly, I know I'll play horribly."

"Where do you even conclude that from?" Shubman's hand holding food hovered around his mouth persistently till he accepted. "You're way worse than me."

"I will play horribly. I know that. But you don't know we'll lose the semis."

"And that makes you the sensible overthinker?" Shubman's hand came up again to feed him.

"Yes," said Ishan.

"Great. By my logic, you have control over how you play," said Shubman. "But we don't have control over whether we win or not."

"Nonsense."

"You're going to be awesome, Ishan. You're undermining yourself with no reason at all. You're in the World Cup squad, surely there's some reason? Also, eat."

"Will you stop doing that?" Ishan pushed Shubman's hand away. "I can eat on my own."

"Doesn't look like it."

"You-"

"All right, show me," said Shubman, grinning. "Show me you can eat on your own."

Which meant Ishan was forced to eat instead of fasting his way to the semi final.

***

Ishan didn't have to play the semi final after all, because Shreyas got match-fit in time. Everyone suspected Rohit bhaiya had bullied and/or vodooed his ankle into healing.

Ishan was glad with all his heart. For the team, for Shreyas, for himself. Even for Shubman, who had been nervous enough without Ishan's panic making him more so. He had been a bit too patient and sweet over the past two days, and in hindsight, Ishan felt guilty.

He was the grown up. He was supposed to take care of his best friend.

But maybe he didn't mind if it was reversed once in a while. Shubman didn't seem to, either.

***

With Rohit bhaiya and Shubman's 200-run opening stand and Kuldeep and Hardik's bowling in the middle overs, India won the semi final against Australia by four wickets and stormed into the finals.