CSK '23

Mahi and Jaddu and insecurities

a/n: you know what I always believed? despite the 2022 jaddu captaincy collapse, all the unfollowing on social media, and the rumoured rift between Mahi and him after the qualifier match 2023?

they're all made up as fuck.

i never once doubted that something was wrong between the two.

they're way too close to let that happen to their bond.

and turns out, I was right all along.

———————

Some people just don't cry.

But when the noise gets too loud to penetrate your meter thick skull, even the toughest tend to break.

That happened to Jaddu that night.

He was the toughest of the toughest individuals to ever exist. Strong, unstoppable, bold, feared. But no one said him that he could all those and still be an emotional person.

It all felt new to him.

Defeating the indomitable GT for the first time, and in their fortress Chepauk, felt surreal. The team that Mahi had made, the team that got constant criticism, the team with an inexperienced bowling attack, had made it to finals. Again.

It was a team performance like no other, and the surge of emotions hit Jaddu suddenly.

All the hurt he'd been trying to stomach, all the cheers of we want dhoni, all the slighted feelings he tried to bury deep in after last year's captaincy fiasco, and now, it all felt okay. This is all he wanted. They, as a team, reached finals. And he undeniably played a major role.

One more right step, they'll be able to give Mahi bhai the farewell he deserved.

To his surprise, tears escaped his oh so fierce eyes, and he inwardly cursed, as he tried wiping them off quickly.

Russ saw him and immediately approached, trying to find out what's wrong, trying to comfort the champion. You played really well, he reassured.

Mahi stated at Jaddu as he continued the post match conference.

—————

Later that night, when they reached the hotel, Mahi slightly patted Jaddu's shoulder as he got out of the bus. He always sat with Jinks and Rutu. Jaddu looked up, and wordlessly followed Mahi bhai and got down the bus.

"Come with me, Jaddu," he said, and Jaddu immediately knew what this was about. He saw him cry.

Great.

The reached the room and Mahi closed his doors. Jaddu awkwardly stared at his feet as he sat on the edge of the bed.

Mahi sighed. He took a seat close to him and asked, "What happened?"

Jaddu didn't take his eyes off the floor, and after a whole thirty seconds, resigned with a shrug.

"Is it the fans?"

No answer.

"We've talked about this, Jaddu, it doesn't matter what they chant on the ground. They don't know what they're doing."

Jaddu shrugged again. "I know."

Mahi raised an eyebrow. "Ahaa. Okay. Then what was happening that Russ sir came to you?"

A minute of silence. A poker face.

Another shrug.

"One more time you shrug-"