(Not) Easy people to handle

Chapter 1

2024

Having arrived in Kolkata late the previous night and slept most of the morning away followed by a practice session, Shreyas found the chance to sit and talk to his teammates only when they were in the bus taking to them for the jersey launch event.

"How was the last season overall? Miss me?"

"Yes," said Nitish with a bit too much feeling.

Shreyas was very pleased indeed.

"And how did you manage as captain?"

Nitish coughed.

"Not very well, to tell you the truth."

"Don't speak nonsense," said Venky. "He was great, Shreyas."

"We wouldn't rather have had anyone else in your place," said Rinku.

"If you could overlook the nightblindness," said VC, "he was awesome."

Russell guffawed.

"The what?" Shreyas asked.

"Nothing at all," said Venky quickly.

"He said something about nightblindness!" pressed Shreyas.

"Yeah, he was just—fooling around." Venky offered VC a canned drink that Shreyas knew was a much hated one. "Here, drink this, VC."

"No, thanks," said VC.

Shreyas was, of course, vexed that Venky should keep secrets from him. And he would have no doubt taken measures to worm the truth out of him, but Nitish spoke in a quiet voice as Venky and VC argued.

"I'm glad you're back, skipper."

Venky and VC called a truce immediately to burst into speech.

"Yes, we are, but you were great too, skipper!" Venky cried.

"I've told you that a thousand times!" said Rinku.

"We played under you—if we're saying you were great, shut up and accept it, kid," said Russell.

"I wonder," commented Narine, "what would have been your answer if you had been asked in the middle of last season."

Shreyas was more vexed than ever.

"What happened in the middle of last season?"

"Nothing," said Venky.

"Yeah, nothing," said VC, "at night."

"At night," echoed Rinku.

Venky glared at them both.

"Guys!" said Shreyas, aggrieved. "How can I not know something when I video called you all so often?"

"You did all of them—" said Russell gravely.

"Don't overuse—" began Venky.

"At night," VC finished.

Nitish cleared his throat loudly.

"I'm glad you are HERE, Shreyas."

"Are you?" asked Shreyas nastily. "Doesn't stop you all from ganging up on me, does it?"

"I tried to stop them," said Venky.

"No, you didn't! You just tried to stop them from going on about the bloody—"

"Night?" asked Narine.

Shreyas took a deep, deep breath, the kind you take before exploding.

"All right!" said VC, sending their surroundings an alarmed glance. "All right, we'll tell you everything!"

"When?" demanded Shreyas.

"Right now," said Nitish, resigned. "As I said, I'm glad you're back..."

***

A/N: I saw a Russell storm live at Eden Gardens (my second Russ storm, both against SRH) and a thriller, and I'm certainly not over it and never will be.

And I'll never miss a KKR vs SRH at Eden.