Piya aaye na

CHAPTER 12

Ishan entered the ground adjacent to hotel sharp at 5:00, chilly England weather made sure the skies were still dark ,not many were present except the groundstaff.

Not a single team member, weren't they all supposed to meet here,he checked his phone making sure he was at right place,yeah he was, probably they are late.

It was getting too chilly, probably he can grab a coffee before team makes it here.

As he was about make his way back to hotel again he collided with someone.

"I'm sorry,I didn't see you coming" ishan replied not looking up, collecting his phone that had slipped down.

"I'm sorry" the voice came.

Ishan stilled, how can he not recognise the voice.

But why was he saying sorry, sorry for exactly what, ishan was confused.

"Shubman your apology sounds more like a threat" he herd someone saying from back.

Ishan was back on his feet again,but he didn't have it in him to face shubman.

He couldn't face him after what transpired yesterday.

"You asked me to apologise and I did,now if we are done can you continue with whatever urgency you had, we don't have entire day for this drama" shubman spoke ,his disdain very clear.

"First thing first, let me introduce you guys properly to ishan, afterall he's making a comeback after 7 years" kedar said.

In any other scenario,if it was any other player ,ishan knew the team would have broken into hoots and whistles by now but that won't happen,this was ishan and team wasn't happy having him here.

He just looked at all of them and gave a small smile.

There is no use pretending,he wasn't welcomed here and he knew that.

The team's disinterest was very evident, they didn't have to make it apparent.

"Welcome back,ishan"shreyas spoke

"Thankyou" was all ishan could muster, what do he call them.

The ishan in past would have called him shrey Bhai, he would have given each member a name they would be embarassed of ,but now things changed.

He doesn't know how to make things less awkward, cricket was a team game and he can't let this akward silence ruin their winning chances.

Communication was key in the game, he was going to be wicket keeper and he had to interact with everyone,he had no other choice.

If he's here and they are playing WC he would never let anyone ruin the chances they have for winning the game.

He had to speak up.

"Guys" ishan started.

He saw the absolute lack of interest on team members, few weren't even here like hardik and bumrah.

"I know I ain't welcome here,you guys have your apphrensions and I'm ok with it.
Nothing I do can change the perception you harbor for me given my past and I'm fine with it.
All I want to say is I need you guys to be ok around me when we are in game, this can be last opportunity for many of us and it's best if we put our differences aside and concentrate on game"

There,ishan spoke and made it clear his side and now how team reacts to him is upto them.

Shreyas parroted the same and said how whatever differences were there can be put aside when on ground  and at practice.
The team reluctantly agreed.
Even they knew how ishan was right and their differences cannot be costing them games.