Wish we were 28... still (A RohiRat Fanfiction)

The aftermath of the Cape Town test

One month later

India vs South Africa, 3rd Test, Day 3

The target for South Africa in the fourth innings wasn't a very high one, and the frustration piled up on the Indian fielding unit with every boundary.

It reached a height when Dean Elgar, arguably the opposition's best batsman, was given out--LBW by Ashwin. Elgar took the review, and the Indian team led by Virat was already celebrating when the ball tracking showed pitching in line.

Then the ball went and shot above the stumps.

Missing.

Disbelief coloured every face on the wrong end of the decision.

"That's impossible," the umpire was heard saying.

"What--how--how--?" Rahul, who'd been sure of the wicket from the start, said stupidly.

"There's no way that was too high," said Ash.

"Do you think the broadcasters are tampering with the ball tracking?" said Mayank with a half-laugh.

Truthfully, he hadn't at all expected half his team to hold on to that rather absurd bit of conjecturing.

***

"The whole country is playing against eleven guys," Rahul said loudly enough to carry to the stump mic.

"Rahul, what--?" Jassi began.

"You should find better ways to win, Supersport," added Ash, also loudly.

"Ash bhaiya!"

Virat went a step further a few overs later. He stalked up to the stump mic, bent and spoke right into it.

"Focus on your team as well and not just the opposition. Always trying to catch people."

"Virat bhaiya," Jassi said, clearly unhappy at the way things were turning out. "Please leave it, let's focus on the game."

"Oh yes, sure, focus on the game." 

"Virat," said Jinks quietly.

Virat bent and had a last say into the mic, "Well done, DRS. Very well done."

When there was an appeal for LBW for Elgar's wicket afterwards, the captain refused to take the review.

"Going above the shoulder," Virat called. "DRS is hacked!"

***

India vs South Africa, 3rd Test, Day 4

"What's up, Vi?" Jinks asked, entering Virat's room after breakfast. "Why aren't you up yet?"

"Don't feel like it," said Virat.

"Are you feeling sick?" asked Jinks anxiously.

"Not--not physically." Virat got up slowly. "I don't want to go out into the field for them to hammer us into another loss."

"We're not out of the game yet..."

"We're as good as!"

Jinks felt a surge of foreboding. Virat didn't say stuff like this. Everyone did, but Virat didn't.

"I always thought--" Virat buried his head in his arms. "Jinks--I always thought the day I'd not want to go out into the field to play was the day I'd stop."

Jinks' foreboding blew up into panic, but he fought to keep it out of his voice as he went to sit beside Virat and put a hand on his shoulder.

"C'mon, Vi," he said. "You're tired with yesterday's DRS thing, you're not thinking right. It will be all right when you're out there again, come--"