A/N: So on Twitter (it'll always be twitter for me thank you very much) I saw this video from 2021 WC where Virat was smiling genuinely watching a video of his younger self on screen. I damn near cried watching that happy smile oh how I missed it.
Mahi bhai, from the dressing room, watched the highlights of the 2014 T20 WC semifinal against SA played on the big screen, a fond grin slipped onto his face remembering just how Virat had won them that match, the aggression the kid had shown after smashing his best friend's team all around the park, Dale Steyn stood and stared at that demon child who had them all wrapped around his little finger after flashing one of those adorable chubby cheeked grins.
Mahi bhai remembers Virat pouting and refusing to talk to him for an hour after their match because he apparently wanted his Mahi bhai to finish it off like he always does. But the kid had melted pretty quickly when Mahi bhai had hugged him tightly and said he wouldn't do it next time.
Now staring across the ground at the older, calmer Virat who'd been real quiet since they lost the first match of the tournament sporting a small grin watching the same video, made him sad. The spark in his eyes was lost now all there was left is unrequited guilt, loathing and just plain exhaustion. Ravi bhai noticed that expression on Mahi bhai's face and gave a comforting squeeze on his shoulder
Virat watched on as his younger self roared after smashing Dale Steyn for a boundary on the first ball of the last over, he looked on in reminiscence staring at that fire in his eyes everyone always told him he's had. He smiled watching Mahi bhai put his arm around his shoulder as Vi had quietly expressed his disappointment while walking back, at not finishing the game off in the 19th over itself.
Coming back to his surroundings, he smiled at his teammates and quickly threw the ball so they could get on with the game. Ro and Jaddu had both seen that shuttering of emotions behind his eyes, Virat was closing himself off again and this time there was nothing they could do. They knew they weren't qualifying to semis, they knew losing to Pakistan would haunt them for years to come, but more than losing it'd always be the hollow eyes of their captain who addressed them after the match with almost no emotion in his eyes let alone his voice, he was done. There was no coming back now. Worse of it all, he had taken all the blame upon himself, because according to him had he batted it out till the last over, maybe they would have had a decent total against Pakistan.
After their match Virat had waited for his team to go into the dressing room and then followed them in after having a nice little chat with Rashid, Nabi, Gurbaz and the rest who wanted to talk to him. On entering the dressing room, he caught his Mahi bhai's eyes and forced a grin on looking at that concern in his big brother's eyes.
'I don't deserve it.'
He told himself. He got the presentations and all that done with. Reaching the hotel he walked straight up to his room after making an excuse of being tired and wanting to sleep. Like he expected not a single one of them objected, giving a hug to Ravi bhai, he left them to their devices.
Mahi bhai followed his kid upstairs, he knocked on the door of Virat's room and waited patiently for him to open the door. Virat confused, open the door, brows furrowed and it smoothed out into a tired grin when he saw Mahi bhai there. Without saying a word, Mahi bhai pulled his kid into a long hug right there out in the hallway and Virat doesn't know how it happened, but he just sunk into that warmth and just cried. Oh how he wanted someone to just hold him and tell him everything will be alright the past few months. Mahi bhai ran a calming hand up and down his back gently telling him he was there and he's got him and to let it all out.
They closed the door behind them, Mahi bhai saw Anushka sitting on the edge of the bed with Vamika in her arms, eyes pained as she watched her husband finally let all his emotions out.
"I'll room with Rits and Devisha bhai. Stay here for the night."
Vi gave her a grateful smile and she walked out with Vamika. Virat sniffled and sat on the bed as Mahi bhai sat next to him, still not letting Virat go, his hand around the exhausted skipper's shoulder he asked,
"Do you want to talk about it? All the things that have been bothering you?"
"It's fine bhai. I can deal with it on my own. I'm just tired that's it. Don't look too much into me crying. It happens when you're exhausted."
"Pretty defensive for someone claiming there's nothing wrong."
"Bhai please? Mujhe baath nahi karni hei uske baare mei. Just stay here. That's all I need right now."
Vi whispered almost inaudibly, "That's all I've needed for a while."
Mahi bhai heard it however, he tightened his grip around Virat's shoulder and pulled him into his side as Virat rested his head against his big brother's shoulder. Comfortable silence enveloped them.
"How did everything change so quickly bhai? You retired, Sonu bhai retired, I still feel guilty over Yuvi pa's exclusion. Everything's a mess. And now this. Another group stage exit under my captaincy."
"You know? One thing I've always admired about you Cheeku? It's that you learn from your mistakes, yes maybe we couldn't afford you messing up at times but there are 10 other players other than you who need to pull their weights, it won't always be you."
"As captain, it is my duty-"
"And as your big brother it's my duty to tell you, what ever happened ? It wasn't your fault. In fact the only time I held you accountable was 2017 ct and 2019 wc. I wasn't angry at Virat the captain, I was angry at Virat the batsman. Remember when you failed against Australia in 2015, people degraded you, they wrote you off too, but come 2016, exactly an year later, facing off the same team, you pulled off a master class. Point is, this is the first time you've gotten out to Pakistan in T20 WCs and this will be the last. I just know it. Next year, they won't know what's going to hit them."
Virat let out a sardonic laugh,
"Yeah sure bhai, if I'm still in the team. They threw me out of captaincy, throwing me out of the team won't be that hard."
"You may not believe me right now baccha. But I know you and you will prove yourself to yourself more than the world."
An year later, standing in the crowd packed stadium of MCG, exactly one year after the humiliation of the previous year, all those emotions bottled up came pouring out as he roared, punching the ground, he removed his helmet and looked up at the sky, silently thanking his father. He remembered what Mahi bhai told him after the World Cup last year, before parting ways,
"The night always changes to let the day break in kiddo. This little dark pit isn't forever."
For the first time in YEARS, the boys had partied wildly after that victory. Jaddu had called him screaming his head off, congratulating him, but the one call he was waiting for the most, finally rung him up, with nary a hello, he looked at the proud, grinning face of Mahi bhai and said,
"You were right bhai. Thank you. For everything."
"I always am Cheeks. But I told you didn't I? Australia redemption in 2016 and now your Pakistan redemption. I'm so so proud of you. Nobody's forgetting this for decades to come Virat. Decades."
Virat's cheeks hurt grinning that wide back at his Mahi bhai. Ro barreled in and of course snatched the phone to boast to Mahi bhai about everything and Vi realized, he didn't have to fake those smiles and intensity anymore. He can be truly himself now.
'Oh how the night changes'
Virat thought to himself before hurling his pillow at Ro's head, fighting and grappling to get his phone back. Mahi bhai laughed at his two kids who reverted back to their old ways when it came to him.
A/N: I rewatched the first innings of the Pakistan match of 2021 and I won't even bother denying just how much my blood boiled watching that masterclass choke job. One man can't and won't always pull this team out of trouble especially when the opponent is Pakistan. I hope it isn't the same thing tmr too.
Anywho happy reading. Comments make me happy.
