The anchor in my ocean (A Rohit-Rahul story)

Starting off on the wrong foot

December, 2014

It was the worst day of Rahul's life.

He had utterly ruined his debut, playing two ridiculous shots; even he had no idea why he had played them. India had managed to draw the match, but barely. If there had been even one session left, they'd have lost.

So, in the evening of 29th December 2014, KL Rahul thought his day couldn't get any worse. But of course, it could. And it did.

After dinner, the captain announced in an extremely quiet and serious voice, which could not be mistaken for a joke, that he was retiring from Test cricket.

The shock wave that passed across the room was discernible. Rohit, Dhawan, Bhuvi, Ash and Jaddu looked resigned, like they'd been expecting it. They also looked broken...like they'd hoped right up to then that Mahi bhai would change his mind. Most of the others, like Rahul himself, just looked confused.

The only person who apparently wasn't perturbed, was the vice-captain.

"Right," said Virat.

It took Rahul a moment to realize that he was acknowledging the retirement.

_______________

The next morning, Mahi bhai took a flight back to India.

Virat felt stranded in Melbourne. Their flight to Sydney for the next Test wasn't until night, and he could not bear ten more hours in this city. Melbourne would always be tainted with the knowledge that his big brother had retired and left and he had done nothing to stop him...tainted with guilt, with defeat, with loneliness.

Rohit was talking with him mostly normally. It was not like he was ignoring him. But the accusation in his eyes was only too clear. Same with everyone else. Take Shikki. Take Ash. Take Jaddu. Take even Bhuvi.

No one approved of Mahi bhai's retirement.

Do I approve of it myself? wondered Virat. He doubted it. Whether consciously or unconsciously, he had driven Mahi bhai to it though; that much was clear, so it was no use having second thoughts now.

Virat had been avoiding his team for a few days now, and the silence was killing him.

Was it possible for a person to die of loneliness?

At lunch, he abruptly caught sight of Rahul, their debutant, sitting in one of the corners. Virat rushed towards him with immoderate delight. Here was one person at least who would not look at him with accusation.

Rahul looked up when Virat bumped into the seat beside him, his eyes glittering and a huge grin on his face, exuding enthusiasm. He automatically backed away (because you know, it was scary to see a clown right beside your face suddenly).

"Hi, Rahuliya!"

"Rahuliya?" repeated Rahul, even more alarmed (he had never heard a nickname like that).

"That's your name, isn't it?" said Virat innocently.

"Pretty sure it's not."

"Rahul, Rahuiya, close enough," said Virat dismissively. "Who is your fashion star?"

"Er," said Rahul. "Fashion star?"

"Something's wrong with your ear," said Virat, concerned.

Rahul rolled his eyes. "No, Virat. The kind of things you keep saying, they seem unreal."

Virat gaped. "Everyone has a fashion star, right?"

"Mine's David Beckham," conceded Rahul, who had been feeling lonely as well, in a team where everyone had known each other for years.