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

'Professionals'

In the home series vs Australia in September 2017, India won the first three and clinched the series, so most of the good bowlers were rested for the 4th ODI. Australia scored well above 300.

It was a tough chase, but Jinks and Rohit gave India a great start and Rohit was at his imperious best when Jinks went and Virat came.

Rohit and Virat's partnership threatened to take the game away from Australia's hands, and luckily for Australia, the one thing that could save them did happen.

Rohit had crossed more than half the pitch at full speed and he was watching the ball, so he neither heard Virat's shouts nor saw that he wasn't running. When he did register Virat shouting, "NO--NO--GO BACK!" he turned hastily and tried to return, but it was no good.

The set Rohit was run out, and Virat was dismissed soon after and though Hardik put up a good fight, India lost.

People had so often told the two of them to grow up that this time Rohit was determined that he wouldn't fight with Virat. So when Virat returned to the dugout, Rohit made a hand gesture which conveyed a peace offering.

Virat, however, told him in disgust, "You're awful at running between the wickets, Rohit!"

Rohit could only stare at him in shock.

"You shut everything out while running--you don't even turn to see what your partner is doing!"

"You ran me out!" cried Rohit, indignantly.

"You ran yourself out," corrected Virat.

"You called, Virat!"

"Yes, and I must've shouted at you to go back around ten times? If you deign to hear my call at all, how can you not hear my shouts? I tell you, you behave like a complete fool once you start running. All six of our run outs were your fault..."

Virat went on in this strain for quite some time. When he stopped at last, Rohit asked the room wistfully, "How is it that whether I get run out or him, it's always him yelling at me?"

Virat snorted, and their team couldn't help grinning.

"I know why," said Rohit. "It was always only me who cared about him. It was never him!"

Now it was Virat's turn to stare at Rohit in shock.

"Why, he didn't even consider us best friends one year ago!" said Rohit, so tragically that everyone in the room sniggered and Jaddu started laughing loudly.

"It wasn't that I didn't consider us best friends," defended Virat, straightaway on the back foot. "I didn't think that way, that's all."

Rohit made a disbelieving sound.

"You're just trying to make me out as the villain," said Virat, disgruntled.

"He doesn't need to make you out as the villain," assured Jaddu. "We all know that you're the villain."

And then, of course, Rohit joined in their friends' laughter in delight and Virat retired to an offended silence for the rest of the match.

Even in the 5th ODI, Rohit and Virat put up a 100+ partnership, and this time, after every ball, they took great care in conveying to the other whether to run or not.

There was no run out that day, and India won safely.

___________

Next month, New Zealand toured India and the 3rd ODI witnessed one of Rohit-Virat's most dominant stands.

After they had put up a 111-run stand, with Rohit on 79, they nearly pulled off their 7th run out, but Virat yelled, "NO!" at the top of his voice and thankfully Rohit, for once, registered it and raced back.

Virat sighed in relief and glared at Rohit when the latter turned to grin at him.

They both went on to score centuries and put on their 4th 200+ stand, most by any ODI pair.

Rohit got Man of the Match and Virat got Man of the series that day.

After the match, Virat interviewed Rohit for BCCI.tv and Rohit, after saying all the professional stuff, added with a twinkle in his eye, "Good that we didn't get run out... we had a couple of mishaps in the middle but...it was good we didn't get run out after all."

Virat laughed, for a moment forgetting that it was an official interview.

But surely even professionals can't always behave seriously for the cameras; not when they happened to be best friends and were ruling world ODI cricket together.

A/N: This chapter contains two of my most favourite matches ever. I fell for Rohirat's friendship after the Australia run out.
And the NZ match was ❣️❣️
The link for that adorable interview:
http://www.bcci.tv/videos/id/5296/virat-and-rohit-bond-over-the-microphone