Hey guys!
BCCI has managed to piss me off so much that I wrote this update in like half an hour completely!
As much as I am happy for Rohit but Virat deserved a better step down. Rohit deserved a better welcome.
Somehow I love how MI and RCB know the worth of their star players. I wish BCCI could do the same.
♡~♡~♡~♡~♡
Virat wasn't present for the Ind vs Nz T20 matches while Rohit was tested for the test match. Those were a awkward few days for Virat especially, stepping down from T20 captaincy, AB retiring and above that he hadn't even gotten a chance to talk to his best friend.
Somehow Rohit and Virat not only hadn't met after the T20 WC but also not talked properly ever since owing to some reason or other.
They met for the first time when they all gathered for the SA tour.
They had team meetings in which Rohit and Virat participated equally with dynamics being a little different this time.
Rohit ferociously avoided meeting Virat's eye or even talking to him one on one as if he had commited some crime.
Rohit for once had woken up on time and was there for the breakfast on time. It was one of those rare days when the team ate quitely and in different groups.
Rohit had stuck to Jaddu all this while.
Jaddu- You know there was nothing you could do right?
Ro- Hmm.
Jaddu had given up on trying to explain ro while all he was going to do was hmm.
Rohit had knocked on jaddu's door in the night. Jaddu was his saviour, somehow he was always there for him whenever he needed someone. They didn't gloat about their bond neither was it a very famous one but they knew that it was special.
It wasn't difficult for the team to notice the palpitable tension so thick that it could be cut with a knife. But they knew better than to disturb it.
Virat wasn't blind, he could see what was happening but he just didn't know how to end it.
He had felt bad that BCCI had suddenly removed him from the odi captaincy and hence he was staying aloof. It had nothing to do with who the captaincy went to, it was purely about how it ended.
Infact he was happy it went to Rohit because who else deserved it more than the Hitman of the country?
Rohit thought that Virat was angry on him that he was the captain now. He thought Virat wouldn't even want to talk to him for the time being. What if this affected their friendship in long term?
During dinner the team had no choice but to sit together and eat like always. They was chit chatting on the table credit to Shreyas, Rishab, deepak and shardul.
Rishab- Hum itna chup kyu hai?
He asked not knowing what else to say.
Ashwin shushed him immediately and everyone got back to eating as if nothing happened.
By the end Rohit had tears in his eyes as they left.
He directly went go the terrace to catch some fresh air.
He couldn't believe that he wasn't physically able to be happy for his captaincy, all he could think about was did he lose Virat? Did he lose his most precious bond that cricket gave him?
He slumped down on the railing as he barely stood straight, his head barried down in his hand facing the beautiful view which he hadn't even given a glance.
Meanwhile, Virat was in his room thinking, was the team so awkward because they didn't know how to congratulate Ro in front of me?
Or did they have the congratulation party avoiding me?
Rohit hasn't spoken to me properly since eternity, ever since he was declared the odi captain.
Our conversations got limited to did you reach the airport and about the team that had been selected.
Was this how it was going to be between us? Professional?
To distract himself he opened his phone to see what's happening in the world.
Both him and Rohit were trending along with BCCI owing to the same decision.
His fans abusing BCCI and Rohit while Ro's fans congratulating Rohit while still putting Virat down.
His eye caught a tweet that said,
As if the rift between these two star players wasn't enough, it must now have come down to ego issues too. Virat being replaced as a captain by Rohit would've been a big blow to both of them. This will just widen the rift if not anything else.
Vi- Bullshit!
He slammed the phone down on the bed and massaged his head to relieve the tension.
He cursed in his mind and slumped back on the bed, his eyes closed thinking about the same when suddenly he realised something.
Vi- Wait! Maine bhi usse congratulate nahi kiya hai! Does he also think I am not happy with him being the captain? Obviously! Shit! Mai bhi pagal hu.
He jumped out of the bed to his besties room which was empty?
Virat had two open choices, either he'd be in Jinks room or he'd be on the terrace.
He believed his gut which said he was on the terrace so he ran there. He was right.
When he opened the door he saw Rohit slumped down kind of tired and helpless on the railing and he could here him stiffle a cry in between.
Virat wanted to cry too, he wanted to cry for the past two years that had been horrible to him professionally.
He had gotten the biggest blessing of his life namely his daughter, little Vamika.
Hence even though he wanted to share it with Anushka, he couldn't. She was a mother now, she had alot on her plate.
The restriction on his emotions had suffocated him and now seemed like the perfect moment to shed it down and with a person he knew would never judge.
He sat beside where Rohit was still standing and slid down slouched by the wall. Rohit hasn't even noticed him.
He hid his face in his palm to let his emotions flow. Those emotions were just for what he was going through, what they were going through and nothing to do with who it went to.
He like a kid he was pulled on Rohit's pants to garner his attention.
Rohit was startled with that pull as he looked down he found his best friend sit down dejected.
That very moment he knew that he was done crying and now was the time to be a good friend, to be with his best friend.
Virat was still crying so he sat beside Virat silently and held his hand.
He didn't know how much help that would be but he just wanted to let him know that he was there and he will be there.
Virat held on to his arm and cried for two more minutes before wiping his face and looking at Rohit.
"Why are you crying?" Rohit broke the silence and asked very calmly.
Virat- Why were you crying?
He quickly questioned back.
Rohit- Everything is not a competition idiot.
He finally managed to let out a chuckle after a long time.
Vi- Life was really better when everything wasn't a competition.
I miss the times when we both were just two players playing under Mahi bhai...
He said just above a whisper. He wanted to continue but couldn't.
Rohit continued understanding what he meant,
Ro- We were just us, Rohit and Virat not captain and vice captain, ye sab nahi chahiye tha mujhe... I swear.
Vi- Parr ab ye sab hai aur ye sab rahega, sirf ek cheez nahi badalni chahiye... Us. I don't want us to change.
Rohit was being the elder one here but now when he spoke about the point that bothered him, it was his turn.
Ro- You mean that?
He said his eyes watering again.
Vi- Ofcourse.
Ro- Mujhe laga I lost you.
Vi- You what!?
Ro- Humari baat bhi nahi hui thi jabse BCCI ne mujhe captain announce kiya hai mujhe laga ki...
Vi- Tujhe lagta bohot jyada hai! What do you mean tujhe laga? Tujhe laga ki mai tere liye khush nahi hounga?
Mai BCCI pe gussa tha, itne saal se captaincy ki hai ek thankyou post toh banti thi na? Tere liye bhi ek congratulations post?
Ye joh inhone ek line ka mazak kiya hai usse kya samjhe hum?
Parr in sab mein, mai tere se gussa kaise ho sakta hu? Haven't I always been the happiest when you succeed? Then?
Ro- I think jab teri baat aati hai mera dimaag kaam karna band kar deta hai.
He smiled finally.
Vi- Woh dikh raha hai.
He said slapping his head.
Aise kitni hi terrace ne humare kitne jhagde dekhe hai na? Jhagde, coffee nights, silences, hugs aur ab rona bhi hogaya, great record.
Rohit laughed along with him.
Ro- Virat...
Vi- Ha?
Ro- Ye captain, vice captain, BCCI, replacement, rift rumours inn sab se upar hai tu mere liye, please yaad rakhna ye.
Vi- I know, believe me I know.
He said as he held on to his arm.
Ro- Your friendship is one of the best thing cricket has given me and you should know Ritika has come into my life thanks to cricket so this is a serious compliment.
Ro said almost dramatically.
Vi- Hey! I myself am a serious competition to Ritika!
He reacted quickly.
Ro- Sure you are.
He snickered.
They sat there in silence for a while,
Ro- Neeche chale?
Vi- Nahi, thodi der yahi rahenge.
He whined.
Ro- Okay.
He laughed.
They stayed there for some more while talking about random matches and the memories that associated that match.
It felt home, this felt home.