Memories in gold against a purple sky

Brands of silence (Narine-VC)

Harsha: You're a man of few words. So is Sunil Narine, your bowling partner. So how do you two communicate, mostly?"

VC (without a moment's hesitation): Silence!

***

KKR's mystery-spin twins had several brands of silence.

One that was reserved for when they were bowling in tandem. They always did bowl in tandem in the middle overs and wind a stranglehold around their opposition; it had been five years now.

Five years, and they could read each other's plans really well.

(Though even in 2020, it was not like they used to talk much.)

Usually, Narine would be the one opening spin in the last over of the Powerplay. He'd get an idea of the pitch, and at the end of the over, while VC would be gearing up to take his run up, Narine would catch his eyes from short third and nod.

VC would nod back.

You wouldn't know, but they'd just exchanged the pattern of roughs in the pitch from Narine's end.

At some point, when VC would be setting up a batsman, Narine would nod again. From short third. VC would tilt his head in acknowledgement.

Salty would be gawking from his keeper's position, clueless.

'I know you're setting him up and I know the top edge will bring the ball to me and I will try my best not to drop it,' Narine had conveyed.

'All my best wishes,' VC had replied. 'You may have to take a couple of steps back. Ready?'

'Ready.'

Then Narine would have, going by the previous four seasons, dropped the catches. VC would have looked at him stoically.

'I cannot blame you, 'cause I'd have done the same,' the look would say.

This season, though, some sort of magic was going on. Narine took catch after catch at short third off VC's bowling. Amidst the celebration, where Venky would be shouting, and Russell would be teasing, VC gave Narine a bland smile.

'Unexpected, but great,' that would say. 'Don't raise the standards, though.'

'GG is here.' Narine would return a twitch of his lips. 'The bar has already been raised.'

__________________

Another of their brands of silence was when there was actually no need to talk at all. Like during rain interruptions. Narine would slip into the seat beside VC, or vice versa, because that was the only place where they'd find peace.

Or not.

The KKR vs RR match in Guwahati was steadily being delayed due to persisting rain. KKR had already qualified, as table toppers, no less, so they didn't really have anything to worry about even if the match did get washed away.

And Venky, for one, could not keep still.

When could he ever? VC wondered with a hint of irony.

After he'd finished driving ten nails in the handle of his kitbag ("Why do you need nails on your kitbag?" Starcy had asked with genuine curiosity, to which Venky said, "Might come handy"), he descended upon VC and Narine lounging peacefully in their corner.

"Hey, what's up, guys?"

"Nothing, really," said VC in a truthful monotone.

"Want to drive some nails?"