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The day of the India vs. Australia match had arrived, and the atmosphere in the stadium was electric. However, things didn't look good for Team India early on.
India was chasing a target of 200 runs in 50 overs, and the pressure was on. But disaster struck in the first few overs, as the top order—Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer—fell without scoring a single run.
The mood in the dressing room was tense. Virat Kohli was out on the field, fighting to stabilize the innings, while KL Rahul had barely come back from taking a quick shower after the team had gone into a sudden panic over the early wickets.
"Are you kidding me?" Rahul muttered under his breath as he was called to rush out to the field, barely having time to towel off. "This is insane."
As KL Rahul jogged out to join Virat at the crease, the stadium echoed with cheers and anxious murmurs.
Everyone knew this partnership was crucial if India had any hope of turning the game around. The Aussies, fired up by the early wickets, were sledging hard, and the pressure was mounting with every passing over.
Back at the hotel, Shubman was stuck in the hotel medical centre, pacing around like a caged tiger. His diagnosis of dengue had benched him, and it killed him not being there with the team, especially in a crucial match like this.
He had a screen set up to watch the game, but it wasn't the same. He could feel the frustration building up inside him as he watched the top order crumble.
"Damn it!" Shubman cursed under his breath, throwing his phone onto the bed after seeing Rohit's wicket fall.
His condition had improved slightly, but he was still too weak to be on the field. Every instinct in his body screamed for him to be there, to help, to fight. Instead, he was confined to a bed, watching helplessly.
Meanwhile, in the stadium, KL Rahul joined Virat at the crease. His hair was still damp from the shower, but there was no time to worry about that. As he adjusted his helmet, Virat gave him a quick nod.
"Let's just get through this," Virat muttered under his breath. "Stay calm, play your shots. We can't afford any more collapses."
"Got it," Rahul replied, gripping his bat tightly.
The Aussies weren't letting up. The sledging was relentless, and the bowling was fierce. Pat Cummins, in particular, was giving everything he had, sending down rockets at Virat and Rahul. Every ball was a battle, and the tension was palpable.
