Behind the Scenes: World Cup 2023

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Shreyas was tapping the ball into the air with his bat at the diametrically opposite point from their team's dugout when Rohit found him.

"Um," said Rohit. "Hello, Shreyas."

"Ninety seven...ninety eight...ninety nine..."

"SHREYAS?"

"Hundred...hundred one...hundred two..."

Rohit figured that taking the bat away from him would not help the matter. So he squatted down on the ground and stretched. 

Shreyas crossed one-fifty. Rohit reclined on his side, his eyes following the ball's motion up and down.

Two hundred. God, why did he have to be so good at the game? Rohit lay down on his back and started counting along with Shreyas.

"Two hundred three...two hundred four..."

Shreyas scowled, but his eyes remained on the ball.

Finally at two eighty, he missed and the ball hit the ground out of his bat's reach. Rohit seized the opportunity and stood up quickly, though it was way more comfortable on the ground.

Shreyas, the incorrigible brat, was reaching for the ball again. This time, Rohit wrested his bat again.

"Shreyas," he said, distinctly.

Shreyas drew himself up to full height. "I'm busy."

"Ball tapping," said Rohit.

"Yes," said Shreyas.

"Yeah well, I don't deem it being busy enough to ignore me," said Rohit, catching his arm firmly and pulling him back towards the dugout.

"Leave me alone!" 

Shreyas tried to twist his arm out of Rohit's grasp. Unfortunately for him, Rohit was stronger.

"You can't expect me to leave you alone when you're sulking with me, Shreyas," said Rohit, sensibly. 

"I'm not sulking," said Shreyas, sounding remarkably sulky. "You are always against me, Rohit bhaiya."

Rohit's eyebrows flew up higher than his hairline.

"Touch your heart and repeat that," he challenged.

Shreyas touched his heart and began, "You are always--" He paused and changed tack. "You let everyone bowl and you didn't let me bowl and you shouted at me!"

"Shreyas, I'm sorry I didn't let you bowl, kiddo," which was kind of the truth.

"Don't call me that!"

"Don't call me Rahuliya!"

Several of Virat's sly lines floated inside Rohit's head.

"Since you act like a hero in front of all the others, you're my property. I protect my properties."

"Never more than you. How can I, Kuliya? Do I have to explain how much you mean to me?"

"I've been so worried that I overreacted, but I love you more than you will ever know, kiddo. I didn't mean to scold you, Jass, I..."

"You remind me so much of myself, Hardik. Of course I believe in you."

"But we have you, Rishu. It's stupid to mope about Mahi bhai not being around and forgetting we have you."

"I will come. Of course I will, when you asked me, Shubi."

Maybe it wasn't a bad idea to be sly once in a while.