We are Forever ft. Us

Try three

January, 2009

It was the eve of Team India's flight to Sri Lanka from Mumbai for the 5-match ODI series. It was to be Ravindra Jadeja's debut series, too, a decision that was to affect Indian cricket for a long time to come, but the two youngsters, Rohit and Jaddu, firm friends by now, did not know or care about the future.

All they cared, presently, was where Mahi bhai had kept sneaking off to for the past two evenings, and was preparing to do today.

He even had on a tie.

A tie. 

"Mahi bhai never wears a tie," Rohit pointed out. "He simply cannot be bothered." 

"Which means there's more to this than meets the eye--" said Jaddu sinisterly. "Ah, wait. MAHI BHAI! MAHI BHAI!"

Mahi turned and sighed imperceptibly as two mussy-hairs boys bounded up to him.

"Yes, Jaddu?" he said patiently.

"Where are you going?" asked Jaddu innocently.

"To--uh, to meet a cousin of mine--"

Rohit and Jaddu exchanged a significant look.

Mahi bhai never stammered.

So there was most definitely more to the matter than met the eye.

***

They decided, of course, to tail Mahi bhai and investigate. They would have to take immense care not to be spotted, since their victim was an exceptionally sharp-witted one. He was also exceptionally good at tongue lashings. If they got caught, they were doomed.

So, extremely cautious and extremely excited, they had barely embarked upon their journey when Rohit's phone rang. Seeing the caller's name, Rohit's face fell with dismayed remembrance.

For a moment, he considered ignoring the call, but really, that would make forgiveness even harder to win. He motioned at Jaddu to stop for a while and received the call.

"Hello Ro," Virat sang cheerfully.

"Hello," said Rohit, rather glumly.

"Are you ready or have you just got out of bed?"

"I--er--" Rohit decided to get it over with. "I'm sorry I forgot all about the dinner, I--"

"I did not expect any less from you," assured Virat. "There's still time for us to go, if you don't fall asleep again."

Now Virat was not part of the squad and had not been travelling with the team. However, he happened to be have arrived at Mumbai for a family trip that day, and seeing that the Indian team left for Sri Lanka tomorrow, it was imperative they should go out for dinner today.

But Mahi bhai's mystery was too enticing to be ignored, and who knew when again they would get another chance to get to the bottom of it?

"I got a bit busy, Virat," began Rohit.

"Busy?" asked Virat impatiently. "What can you possibly be busy with on the eve of a tour? Stop being so lazy."

"Jaddu and I were going on a rather important mission," said Rohit desperately.

"Jaddu and you?" demanded Virat, not liking this at all.

Even though the three of them were all friends with each other, they had never hung out alone, never having played a series together.

"I can't believe you're cancelling--" Virat's voice had started to rise.

Now Jaddu, admittedly, possessed no tact, However, he had heard the conversation and did the simple, obvious thing.