Night of 25TH

CHAP 15: Prince of Cricket World or Flat Tracks?

Past:

Shubman

The days went by like blinding flashes of lightning, each one passing by more quickly than the last. On the dawn of a brand new year, our team was sluggish and weary, thanks to the New Year celebrations that had carried on through the early hours of the morning. From the second to the sixth day of January, we were locked in a gruelling test match against South Africa, and it was during this time that my form plummeted drastically. My performance was woeful and subpar, something that was entirely out of character for me. However, despite my missteps, our team rallied, employing the sheer strength of our extraordinary players to claim the series lead.

However, my poor performance had unintended consequences. My demeanour towards others had grown increasingly clipped and fractious, my temperament fraying around the edges. Only with the senior members of the team, I maintained a polite façade. Despite playing poorly in many games, I had never adopted such a bad temperament. However, since her arrival, I have noticed that my anger and frustration have become unwelcome habits. As for her, I had harboured a vow to make her daily existence an unending misery. Alas, thanks to my weakened mental state, I have failed to uphold this promise.

The continuous exchange of furtive glances and whispered conversations between Ishan and Anya fanned the flames of my resentment toward her. It felt like she was stealing my best friend away from me, and with each passing moment, my hatred towards her intensified. Every time I found myself in their presence, their hushed conversations would come to an abrupt halt, leaving me to think about what they might be discussing. It was becoming increasingly clear that he was now devoting more of his time to her than me, and my jealousy grew stronger with each passing day.

However, I knew deep down that it was my fault for pushing him away when he tried to approach me after my abysmal performance in the match. Instead of conversing with him and allowing him to comfort me, I shooed him away. He is my best friend, and I firmly believe that he should stand by my side rather than seek comfort in the company of others, regardless of what may have transpired between us.

******

We are currently playing the second test with South Africa and I could feel the weight of the game settle around me as my last performance was not up to the mark. The stands were alive with the roar of the crowd, a sea of green and gold mixed with blue. The task before me was daunting, with South Africa having posted a challenging target of 290 runs. The pressure was on, and every ball counted.

I began padding up, readying myself for my upcoming batting innings. The sun was high in the sky, casting an intense light over the field. I took a deep breath, trying to keep calm despite the nerves that threatened to overtake me.

Rohit Bhai and Jaiswal were in the middle, fighting hard against the ferocity of the fast bowlers. Meanwhile, I was seated in the dugout, waiting for the opportunity to make my contribution to the team's efforts. However, Ishan and Anya were behind me, chattering away incessantly, and I could feel my stress levels rising to unwelcome heights as a result.

In an attempt to shut them up and regain focus, I spoke up in a low, angry voice. "Will the both of you just be quiet?" I snapped, an undercurrent of annoyance lacing my words.

Ishan, however, remained defiant and unwilling to acquiesce to my demands. "And why exactly we should?" he retorted, clearly displeased with the way I had addressed him and Anya.

"I'm finding it hard to concentrate with the non-stop talking from both of you. It's causing distractions and I have an important game to play, so I really need to focus," I said, feeling stressed and frustrated as I tightly gripped my bat.