"Where is Virat?"
The Indian team was scheduled to play two consecutive t20 series in the same venue, one against Australia and the other being against South Africa.
All the players were on the bus, ready to leave for the match location, all but one.
So the question was genuine, but Jinx had to take in a deep breath to stop himself from glaring at Rohit when he heard him.
"He's going to meet us there." Thankfully Ravi bhai answered the question, and Jinx didn't have to worry about controlling his tongue.
He avoided saying anything to anyone, just went to sit on the first seat of the bus where only one person could be seated with the sole purpose of avoiding everyone.
Jinx could feel the weight of the eyes stuck on the back of his head, and he felt a portion of the weight burdening his heart. They hadn't done anything for him to snub them like this.
He felt the guilt washing over him when he saw the expectant eyes of Rohit on him when he sat down and the crestfallen expression when he placed his bag next to him. He looked away from Rohit swiftly, just to catch Rahul looking at him with shocked eyes. And he felt the guilt increase.
But the more his guilt tried to take charge of his actions, the more he felt his anger from earlier overpowering the former.
It was so unlike him to hold a grudge, that too this long. It made him feel strange about himself, but at the same time, it didn't. In the past years, Anushka had become more than just Virat's wife for them. She wasn't just a superstar they had seen on the screen anymore. She had become so much more.
And to see her lying on that hospital bed after everything she had gone through, Jinx didn't know how he controlled his emotions. Maybe because he knew he had to remain strong for his best friend.
His best friend, who wouldn't let his emotions out anymore. His best friend, who stood outside the hospital room all night, waiting for the doctor to update them on her condition. His best friend, who didn't let his eyes shed a single tear.
The only good thing was that Anushka was kept under observation for one night, after which the doctors let her go. Jinx could not stay there for the night due to the hospital rules, and he had to be with Dev and the other boys. So he had to leave Virat at the hospital with a heavy heart- knowing he would have Jasper by his side was a small relief.
Jasper was an honest man. Highly dignified. And he cared for Virat immensely.
No matter how much Jinks tried, he wouldn't tell him what had happened after he left. Jinks only had a vague idea of what it must have been like, Virat must have been walking through the empty corridors, staring off into space, hiding a storm within him.
They could only guess because no one could ever know what Virat went through in those eight hours.
But Jinks knew they must have been terrible because the next thing they knew, Virat had decided to send both Anushka and Vamika back home, hiring a full-time nurse to take care of them.
Jinks didn't want to imagine how hard of a decision it might have been. Being so near them and yet so far. He knew he could never have the courage to do this. He didn't think it was possible for him to respect Virat anymore than he already did.
But an hour later when he saw Virat standing in the changing room, his wedding ring dangling in the middle of his chest on that familiar silver chain- he knew he was wrong.
The way Virat had his eyes glimmering down at the blue jersey in his hands, told him everything he needed to know.
Without wasting another second, he let his kitbag drop on the ground with a loud thud and flung his arms around Virat. "Fuck Virat, thank god you're fine."
His body vibrated as he let out a chuckle and pulled away, patting his back. "I'm fine, but what's up with you? You don't seem like the calm, subdued Jinx I knew at all." Virat joked, making him roll his eyes.
"Let's just say you're not the only one who's changed." His eyes turned wide at the retort, and he let out a loud laugh, shaking his head. Jinks shook his head fondly at him and pulled away. Just then, the entire team poured into the changing room one by one.
Everyone looked surprised to see him. Rohit and Mahi bhai didn't have the courage to tell them what had happened at the dinner, mainly because they weren't clear about it themselves.
But Hardik and Jassi had seen Virat in the parking lot, running towards his car with an unconscious Anushka in his arms. Before they could approach him, they saw Dev and Jinks hurrying them inside the car and, they zoomed out of there.
"Good to see you, champ." Ravi bhai was the last one to enter the room and, he went straight to Virat, swiftly putting an arm around him for a side hug. Everyone could see that Virat visibly stilled for a second.
The world had made a million memes on the two of them. They could say a thousand times that Virat favored him too much. But the people around them knew that it was vice-versa as well.
Still, Ravi bhai being so openly affectionate was something that took a few seconds to register in Virat's mind. But as soon as it did, he melted into the embrace.
"So, what's the plan?" He asked after he pulled away, passing him a gracious smile. Ravi bhai mirrored the smile for a split second before clearing his throat and facing everyone, his face stoic once again.
"We go out there, smash the Aussies and come back to celebrate."
The boys let out a cheer of excitement at that, and Virat winced slightly, the loud sound doing little to help with his growing headache. But he didn't want anyone to know anything, so he forced a smile on his face and grabbed his bottle, quickly gulping the liquid down.
He sat back in the dressing room fidgeting with his phone, not having the energy to interact with anyone when Rohit went out for the toss. Australia had lost the toss, and Rohit had chosen to field first.
During the second over of the match, when Rohit dropped a relatively easy catch, Virat felt annoyance rising within him. But he stopped himself before he said anything and just maintained his position. He was not the captain anymore, and neither were they friends.
By the fifth over, Virat could feel his sight blurring at times, his head was spinning but, he pushed himself to focus.
The last ball came flying towards Virat and, he jumped to catch it, hissing when he felt his elbow slam against the floor and a surge of pain ran through him at the impact. But as he laid on the ground, his hand in the air, instead of feeling exhausted, he felt a sudden boost of energy and stood up once again.
The boys were cheering in excitement, hugging each other but, Dev saw the way Virat was shaking his hand, probably to get rid of the burning sensation.
"Bhaiya are you fine?" Dev asked him once the boys went back to their positions, and Virat nodded his head. "I'm fine, don't worry. You go back." He patted Dev on the back, and he reluctantly walked back to his place.
"He said he's fine." Jinx snorted at that, shaking his head at his stubbornness.
For the next five overs, the two of them watched Virat with hawk eyes. And as soon as the break was announced Jinx pulled him into the changing room without letting him say anything, earning wry glances from the other guys.
"You're not going out there again. If I have to call the physio on this, then so be it," Jinx stated plainly and tossed him his bottle, crossing his arms as he watched Virat catch the bottle with ease.
"I can't stay in here." He tried to argue, but a stern glance from Jinx made him shut up in a second. "You technically can." Manish appeared beside Jinx, carrying an equally disappointed face and, Virat knew he wasn't going to win this.
"Is everything fine?" Rohit stepped inside the dressing room, looking at the three of them nervously and, Virat nodded his head reluctantly.
"Manish will take his place on the field," Jinx said without as much as looking at Rohit and, Virat grimaced at the stern expression on his face. "What happened? Should I call physio?" He shook his head vigorously at Rohit's questions.
"I'm fine. I'll be fine until the second half." Virat said with a tight-lipped smile and, although Rohit was worried, he left without saying anything else. With one last stern glance in Virat's direction, both Manish and Jinx also walked out.
Virat sat back in the changing room, not wanting to go outside, and watched the match alone from the dugout. Although their bowlers got two more wickets, the Australians piled up 168 runs until the last over.
As the second innings began, Virat was seated in the dugout with Jinx and Manish when very surprisingly, Rohit got out in the second over itself, only scoring nine runs. Virat looked at Jinx with a surprised expression, just to see the same look on his face as well.
Rohit's bat had been nowhere near the ball, and he was given a clear out. Although Rahul and Jinx were able to build a partnership of fifty runs in the next six overs, Rahul got out due to an lbw and, Virat had to go down next.
The noise in the stadium was deafening. Everyone was chanting his name, "Virat. Virat. Virat."
The same crowd had chanted slogans against him, that had burned his effigies and threw stones at his house. Virat thought with a bittersweet feeling bubbling in his heart as stood at the crease and looked around for a second, absorbing the atmosphere.
Amidst the cheers and the yells, he shook his thoughts off before getting into position. The shouts around him did not stop and the man did not disappoint.
"Oh no! A yorker missed, and Virat whacks it over wide midwicket, timed that one so well. This is becoming his trademark, I feel, starting his game with a boundary. No one could touch that one, went straight outside the ropes." (6)
The commentators were also pumped up by the boundary and, Jinx grinned at him as they walked to the middle of the pitch, and bumped their fists. "Just don't hit me with the ball, will you?" Jinx teased him right before walking away, making Virat laugh as he walked back to take strike.
"Ab-so-lute-ly MASSIVE! Full-blooded and straight as a die, an arcing golf-swing follow-through, right under the ball with maximum power, and it clangs onto the far side of the roof of the media center!" (6)
Everyone could see the way Jinx had to duck as the ball flew right over his head and how he stood up a few seconds later, glaring at Virat making the striker let out a boisterous laugh.
"I think Virat might be getting told off by his vice for almost smashing his head with that shot, but we can see them both sharing a hearty laugh about it."
"Last ball of the over and, he's scooped it! This is rare. And effective. Fine leg is very wide. This is a full one outside off, Kohli gets down and tumbles into the offside as he meets it perfectly." (6)
"I'll have to say this, this isn't a shot we see Kohli playing every day. It's straight out of the AB DeVilliers' school of batting. They've spent a lot of time together, on and off the field. And this one's gone the distance, seems like the friendship between them is quite not done yet."
Jinx, on the other hand, was having a hard time controlling his laughter when he saw Zampa following the shot with wide eyes. But when he turned towards him with a horrified expression, Jinx burst out laughing, and so did he.
"That's a nice one skip," Zampa said as he walked alongside Jinx to meet Kohli halfway through the crease and punched his shoulder. "Will have to see what AB thinks about it though." He added cheekily, and Virat swatted his arm, chuckling at him.
"I'm not skip anymore, Zamps," Virat said with good humor, wanting to pull his leg, but Zampa just shrugged. "You'll always be skip to me." He said with a small smile and walked back to his position.
Virat also walked back to his end, a warm feeling in his chest as he looked at Zampa smiling at him as he jogged to take his position on the field.
"Well, seems like there are no hard feelings about the three sixes there. And Rahane gives himself a little room to the leg side and drives from off stump past a diving point who half-saves, ball runs out towards the cover rope. That should get them a couple runs or more." (3)
"Smoking! Think Brett Lee at The Oval in 2009 for distance! Absolutely in the slot, and monstered over the stands at midwicket, and into the neighboring parish! Out comes a new ball, no point hunting that one down, it's embedded in a taxi bonnet somewhere." (6)
"Short ball on leg stump, Kohli is too good to miss out, fine leg is in the circle, Kohli pulls, and beats the fielder in the circle." (4)
"This is explosive batting from the skipper here. He is not sparing anyone- Ah I'm sorry I think I might have said something wrong there. Little hard to remember who the captain is when you see this kind of performance."
"Pounded over midwicket once more! Length from Faulkner, a slower ball to boot. There's nothing better than seeing a player like Kohli in form, and he is serving us the best these days." (6)
"Faulkner hasn't learned his lesson! Another off-cutter in the slot, and Kohli beasts this monstrously over deep midwicket, and out of the ground again! A third replacement ball comes into play." (6)
"And they go berserk as the ball sails over the wide long-off boundary! Kohli steps out of his crease and lofts the short of a length ball through the line, it didn't look like he timed that perfectly, but the ball carries over the boundary rider." (6)
"I'm sorry Nasir, but are we still in England? Because the crowd chanting Kohli's name is giving me heavy nostalgia about Mohali."
"A half volley outside off stump, Kohli stays so balanced, so still in his crease, uses his wrists to open the face of the bat and square drive through point, superb knowledge of where the field is." (4)
"Warner runs to his right from long-on but can't prevent the second, Kohli's wrists are too good, they drive the ball just wide of fielders to convert ones into twos." (2)
"Kohli steps out again and hits the ball towards long off for a single."
"You're fine, right?" Jinx asked, his earlier worry returning as he remembered how pale Virat had looked in the first half. But Virat just nodded his head dismissively and rolled his shoulders.
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine, do you think we're going to make it?" He asked as he looked at the scoreboard, but seeing them at 116 runs in 10 overs made him feel slightly better. Jinx looked at him like he was crazy and rolled his eyes before walking back to take the strike.
"The slower short ball and Rahane pulls, and pulls wide enough of Hazlewood on the long leg boundary to get four."
"Caught at short fine leg! Coulter-Nile bangs in the heavy bouncer, it rises at pace on Rahane who hooks but top edges into the air behind the keeper and to short fine leg's left. Khawaja takes a while to settle under the ball but holds the catch safely in the end."
"And just like that India has lost its third wicket of the day, with a partnership of fifty-nine runs between the two of them Rahane walks back to the dugout. He was looking solid tonight but has to depart. It is Shreyas Iyer who is walking out with his bat next."
"Superb bowling! "Come on," screams Coulter-Nile, and Australia rally around him. Bowls a fine cutter, and Iyer doesn't help matters by premeditating. Came down the track too early and can't adjust. The ball sticks in the deck a little more, and with Iyer having made room, he is left reaching with a horizontal bat instead of a vertical one. Beats him, and bowls him."
"What is this? Coulter-Nile has two wickets now and India is four down with Manish Pandey walking out to face the hattrick ball."
They managed to score two singles and one double right before Manish too was caught out near the boundary and Virat watched with helpless eyes as he walked back to the dugout.
"The Aussies seem to be taking their control back. Just now, Virat was smashing them for boundaries, but the game seems to have taken a turn. Five wickets down, what do you think Nasir? Will India be able to bounce back in the last eight overs?"
"I don't think the Aussies are going to let them move ahead at all. They'd want to make the most of this breakthrough. Three quick wickets, they know they can make something out of it if they capitalize on this. And they should. Before Kohli starts searching for his sixes they should be looking to get one more."
"And they're on their sixth wicket. Wait, the umpire is shaking his head but Maxwell seems adamant, they're taking a review and there is it, there's no bat involved, the impact is clear and the umpire is raising his finger. Hardik has to go back and that's another one for India."
Virat almost shouted when he saw Bumrah walking down next. Why would Rohit send Bumrah up the order when he had Bhuvi? He thought in complete frustration as Bumrah walked out to take strike.
He had to wait some more because Bumrah couldn't do anything more than defend. The Australians knew they were getting the upper hand here. He played five dot balls before finally taking a single on the last ball.
"Pounded on the up to deep midwicket, it seems too short to take a single but they manage to make it happen and Kohli is back on strike again!"
Virat laid down on the ground for a few seconds, trying to catch his breath as he tuned out all the noise around him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before pushing himself up.
"Has Kohli tired himself out already? That was a pretty close call but he jumped right in time."
"That's it, yells an Australian player, as Kohli seems to have mistimed the loft to long-off. He was off balance and the bat turned as he made contact, but the timing was still good enough to clear the fielder on the boundary. Just. Incredible." (6)
Virat let out a breath of relief, adjusting his helmet before he nodded at Maxwell as if telling him to go for it.
"Down on one knee, and battered mercilessly into the stands! The crowd seems to love having Kohli on strike and quite honestly so do I." (6)
"Tosses up a googly, Virat mullers it into the stands first ball! They're still swinging, hitting with the turn and sent flat into the crowd at deep midwicket." (6)
"Maxwell is holding his head in his hands as he watches the ball fly over, he cannot believe Kohli has served three sixes. But Kohli doesn't seem quite done yet."
"As good as the last ball was, this is pants, back of length, pulled over square leg, nailed it once more, everything has been nailed." (6)
"Full-on the off stump, yorker missed, and it disappears over long-off, this is ridiculous, lovely flowing stroke, it goes way back." (6)
"It almost seems like he's avenging his teammates. Thirty-one off this over. He's making the impossible All Jasprit Bumrah has to do tonight is make sure his captain remains on strike. Because if there is anyone who can save the Indian boat from sinking tonight then it is Virat Kohli."
"A swing and a miss, Bumrah looks to pull it but it is too high and he misses by a whisker."
"Sent flying towards midwicket and looks for a single but has to head back quickly. Good save by Bumrah there, he knows they cannot afford another wicket right now."
"I don't know if these dot balls are going to help India get back in the game DK because as much as the wickets are valuable, someone has to get the runs for them."
"This one goes high up in the air, looked like Bumrah wanted to play the short ball but it has gotten him nowhere. Warner looks stunned that no one got to that. This could have been their seventh wicket but they just weren't fast enough."
"But they don't have to worry because this is the cleanest of wickets. Bumrah had no idea, it went straight to the stumps and crashed. He played ten dot balls today and has to walk back with a score of just one run."
"Bhuvaneshwar Kumar is the next man in for India. And he lets this one go."
"Last two overs of the game and Virat Kohli on strike. Sixteen runs off twelve balls shouldn't be too hard for a man like him but the wickets have been falling like dominos on his side. The question is- can he hold it together for them?"
"Seeing Virat let a delivery like that go to waste feels like such a crime but he lets this one be. They still need sixteen runs but off eleven balls now."
"Kohli is toying with the bowling and the field, he steps out, to a length ball and lofts on the up flat over extra cover, this is batting of the highest caliber, this game is all but done." (4)
"It feels like he was getting a taste of the ball last time, he was just looking around the field because this one went right through the gap and it has gotten him four runs alright."
"Shot! Sails over Maxwell's head at deep square leg! It was a length ball at a faster pace on leg and middle, Kohli plants his foot forward and swings across the line, great timing, and balance on the crease." (6)
"And that's the game. Full on the stumps, and it sails away again! Straight back over the bowler's head this time. India wins the match with eight balls to spare." (6)
"Kohli sinks to the ground as the ball disappears into the crowd. What a performance from the man, I can see the relief on Kohli's face, he looks exhausted, he has pulled off a jaw-dropping chase. Again."
"He's made sure he brought his team to the shore. Amidst all the falling wickets and the fast bowlers tonight, this man has stood tall. Played a proper-"
"What is happening? Bhuvaneshwar Kumar looks as puzzled as we do. Ajinkya Rahane, the vice-captain, is rushing into the ground with their physio right on tow. Just what is going on here? Oh god, Kohli's not just exhausted. It seems like he's passed out."
As soon as he saw that it was a six, Virat had sunk to his knees, exhausted as he leaned his head against the handle of his bat and finally let his eyes rest. There was a lot of noise around him, but he felt himself falling to the side right before everything went blank.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
just realized that the last two chapters have ended the same way- virushka passing out
I didn't even plan this 😭
Q: who's your crush from the Indian team right now? besides vi & ro obviously.
context- I just realized no one really talks about how hot deepak chahar is 💀
he's a fabulous player, that's beyond the point because this is purely about simping over him.
he just seems so genuine and he just looks so beautiful when he smiles, so precious and how easily he switches from an aggressive celebration to being the boy next door- SOMEONE STOP ME
also the muscles in his arms 😩
ya that's all the hoe-y shit for today.