Bitter Sweet Memories (SA Tour)

The One with the historic win

Centurion, 2021:

Virat had seen everything, the outrage, the trending tweets, he should not but he anyway did it. As Rohit was not there with him, there was no restriction on checking twitter, otherwise he would have gotten a full dictionary of Mumbai slangs and curses.

Nothing affected him more than seeing his daughter being dragged.

Adding to that, his wife, Rohit and his family too, apparently because of him, Rohit didn't get appropriate the welcome, as a captain of Indian White ball team, which he should have and which he deserved.

Because Virat Kohli had cried in an interview, he had been sacked, he had begged for sympathy, to put it in twitter terms.

"What are you doing?", the voice got him startled, his phone fell from his hand.

"Jeez, you are trying to kill me or what?", Virat said being annoyed by the sudden interruption.

"And you are acting as if you were doing something which you shouldn't"

"Will you stop being a detective KL?", said Virat quickly picking up his phone putting in his pocket.

KL moved forward with his arms on his chest, "I know what you were doing Virat-- this is not right. And if you don't stop, I will have to tell Rohit", said KL which made Virat look down on the floor.

"Ok, Stop it", said Virat, irritated and tired with everything. He suddenly felt like a child, getting scolded by a teacher.

KL sat beside him, not knowing how to comfort him. This is the first time, he had seen Virat so vulnerable not even the 2016 loss, that surely broke his heart but this was different. It was as if this was suffocating him.

"Virat, I.."

"I know Rah, you don't have to say something. I think we should go for dinner", said Virat, not wanting to hear anything. It just made him feel idiotic, he was letting everything affect him at that level.

"You should probably pick Rohit's call", said KL, knowing how he was avoiding the calls, specially of Rohit.

"We have a match to play tomorrow", said Virat moving out of the room, ignoring the call thing. As he knew, that idiot will see through him.

KL sighed at his stubbornness, he just texted Rohit everything.

Virat was about to have his dinner, "You said on me? Are you serious?", blasted Virat at KL as he received Rohit's text.

Everyone was shocked to hear that tone of Virat, specially for KL.

"Stop yelling at him and talk to me", he heard Rohit's voice. KL had just put phone infront of him on speaker.

"Go to hell Ro", yelled Virat.

"The day I made you my friend, I am residing there only, so say something new", taunted Rohit and Virat heard a chuckle from Ash, Jinks, Jaddu.

Virat glared them and they resumed their dinner.

"Oh fuck off", said Virat and left from there.

"Rah, don't worry, focus on the match tomorrow. He is just being cranky right now as you know you saw him reading that stupid trolls. It's a lot I know, he is going through a lot. Let's just try to win the match, alright?", Rohit said and KL agreed.

"He always there for me Rohit, I want to do the same but I don't know how to", Rah said being helpless.

"You can be there, just by being yourself, if you think you have to do something like something out of the blue, it will make you go away from him. You know Virat, the changes in someone close to him, he easily identifies it-- try to win the match for him, that will make him calm to some extent", said Rohit trying to make him understand.

"Why aren't you here?", Rohit heard KL complain helplessly, "he is miserable", KL added to it.

"I know, just take care okay", Rohit said and hanged up the call.

The match went India's way with KL leading with the bat and Shami, Bumrah with the ball adding to it with Virat's captaincy-- with on point fielding changes and the bowling changes.

KL hugged him, without saying anything, "Well played, really well played", he heard Virat patting his back.

KL noticed he looked happy with the win but still something was missing, he looked on very much edge.

How KL wished that Virat would say, "Rahuliya, you are a star, my kiddo", which would only mean for him to roll his eyes, "don't call me that" though he never meant that ever. But nothing sort of that happened.

"Virat, all okay, right?", KL asked holding his arm as everyone left the dressing room.

Virat just gave him a smile, "Never better", he said.

KL was still not convinced, 'May be he is disappointed with his batting', he thought.

He deliberately took seat beside him in the bus, "Rah, I never imagined we would be part of another historic win, you know?", he heard Virat saying, he looked in a trance but knew he was the person sitting beside him.

"Why would you not imagine that?", KL couldn't help but ask, as Virat had the utmost confidence in winning matches overseas.

Virat shrugged, KL noticed he was more aware, "Just like that, no reason, I am proud of the team and you", he said holding KL's hand.

That hold at that moment, KL was trying to understand what it was? -- acknowledging his presence and contribution in the match, or Virat was assuring himself.

He was sure, it was the latter.

"You are happy with the win, right?", asked KL, feeling hesitation, seeing a completely different Virat infront of him, who was not expressive as he had seen.

Here was a different person, who was may be having self doubt, very much on edge all the time and also self conscious at times.

"Of course, I hope we replicate same in other two matches", said Virat which only indicated, one -- desperation in his voice, two-- something, which KL couldn't quite understand, it was some deadline kind of thing.

"Sure, we will", KL assured him.

Virat kept his head on the seat and closed his eyes hearing that assured voice, may be they could win.