How it all began (A Rohit-Virat Friendship Fanfiction)

The day it became official

Kumble and Virat's opinions clashed in every single respect. During the team selection before the next match, Virat had put his foot down to make Jinks play instead of Yuvraj, and he also took bowling first on winning the toss, against the coach's command.

"We have just got to win this match," Rohit told Shikhar as India was going down to the field.

"Yeah, we owe it to Virat. We're following his tactics on this one, if we lose, I'm afraid Kumble will get one over him," said Shikhar.

And so they were bowling. After 30 overs, SA was 178-2. And the worst thing was--AB de Villiers was in form.

And when AB de Villiers is in form, you can't afford to let a single opportunity go.

It came in the 32nd over. The batsman lofted a ball of Bhuvi high in the air.

"LEAVE IT, IT'S MINE!" shouted Virat, who was running in from the circle. Rohit was running towards the ball, too, and he was so intent on it that he didn't register what Virat said.

Rohit and Virat underwent a head-on collision, and their elbows knocked as they both made a final attempt to grab the ball--and the catch was dropped.

Virat was in a tearing rage, not least because the RCB captain knew how dangerous AB could be.

"YOU IDIOT!" shouted Virat furiously. "I told you to stay off! Why the hell did you barge into my way?"

Virat's tone did not suit Rohit. "It was definitely my catch!" he snapped.

"No--and I called for it--can't you ever listen to instructions?"

"You did not call!" said Rohit, beginning to lose his temper too.

"I did, didn't I?" cried Virat, as Shikhar came up to them.

"Yes, but--" began Shikhar placatingly.

"Lumbering around the field with your head in the clouds--what is the use of you being in the team?" yelled Virat.

"Virat--stop it," said Jinks. The entire team was there by then.

"Couldn't bother," said Rohit, in his laziest drawl. "Couldn't bother to listen to our new captain..."

Virat lost the little self control he had left. "Send him off the field!" he shouted. "Send him off!"

Rohit was shaking with rage. "Try that--go on, try that!"

"That's enough, both of you," said Mahi bhai calmly.

Jinks restrained Virat as Shikhar dragged Rohit away, both of them swearing at the other.

____________

India lost the match, and the mood in the team as they walked back to the dressing room was even grimmer than earlier that day.

Rohit was bending and tying his shoelace near the door, and Virat happened to reach the door just then.

"Get out of the way!" he snapped.

Rohit ignored him and deliberately finished tying the shoelace before straightening up.

"We don't have all day to laze around and waste time like you, unfortunately, so will you please--" Virat was ranting in a loud voice.

Rohit glared at him and stomped out of the dressing room. Virat glared right after him before entering the room.

"God, I've never seen a pair of best friends treat each other like those two do!" Ash told Jaddu, who was packing up next to him.