Bade Sapne

◇ Part 2 ◇

Shubman’s POV

The rain had finally stopped, but the storm in my head was nowhere near over. I sat on the edge of the hotel bed, staring at my phone, its screen still lit up with the notifications I hadn’t checked. News articles, social media tags, and worse—messages from teammates asking if the rumours were true.

I wanted to throw my phone across the room. I wanted to scream. But none of that would change the fact that my entire career was hanging by a thread.

A soft knock at the door pulled me out of my spiraling thoughts. I expected it to be Abhi again, maybe coming to tell me more bad news, but instead, it was the hotel manager. He handed me an envelope, his face tight with awkward politeness.

“Mr. Gill, this was delivered for you,” he said, offering me a small nod before hurrying off, clearly not wanting to be around for whatever this was.

I stared at the envelope. My name was printed neatly on the front, the logo of the BCCI emblazoned in the corner. My heart sank.

This was it.

I tore it open, my fingers stiff with tension, and unfolded the letter inside. The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

---

Board of Control for Cricket in India
Date: 3rd October 2024
To: Mr. Shubman Gill
Subject: Allegations Regarding Match-Fixing

Dear Mr. Gill,

It has come to our attention through various media sources that allegations of match-fixing have surfaced, suggesting that you may have been involved in activities that could compromise the integrity of the game. These allegations further implicate a close personal acquaintance, Ms. Vira Malhotra as being a potential party to this situation.

We take such accusations extremely seriously, as they not only damage the reputation of the players but also jeopardize the spirit of the game itself.

You are hereby required to provide a formal written explanation addressing these rumours, particularly regarding the claim that your performance in recent matches may have been influenced by external pressures or motives, as indicated by supposed gestures made during games. Additionally, we request clarification on your relationship with Ms. Malhotra and the implications that have been drawn from her recent public statements.

Please note that failure to respond promptly and satisfactorily will result in further investigation, which may include a formal inquiry into your conduct during the current IPL season.

We trust you understand the gravity of this situation.

Sincerely,
The Board of Control for Cricket in India

---

I dropped the letter onto the bed, my head spinning.

"External pressures or motives? Gestures made during games?" My blood boiled just reading those lines. They thought my ear-touching was a signal? And now they wanted me to explain not just my matches, but my relationship with Vira, as if we even had any relationship anymore?

I gripped the edge of the bed so hard my knuckles turned white. This wasn’t just about my game anymore. They were dragging Vira into this mess too, and for what? For what? A few off performances and a comment she made about feeling guilty?

And now the BCCI wanted me to “clarify” our relationship, as if they thought she was somehow pulling the strings behind the scenes. It was absurd.

My phone buzzed again, and this time I forced myself to look at it. Abhi had messaged me, asking if I’d seen the latest article from Sports18. I didn’t bother opening it. I already knew it would just be more of the same—the same lies, the same accusations.

I leaned back against the headboard, closing my eyes and trying to think. What the hell was I going to say to them? How do you even begin to explain something that you didn’t do? How do you defend yourself when everyone’s already decided you’re guilty?

The truth. I had to tell them the truth. It was the only thing I had left.

But then there was Vira. Her name was being dragged through the mud alongside mine, and she hadn’t even done anything. I knew she was probably already feeling the heat from the media, from Ishan, from everyone. Although i couldn't stop myself from being angry, I put myself in her shoes, and thought for a moment how she must be feeling. The poor thing had never had the experience of being hounded constantly by the media, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were thousands of hate comments on Instagram about her. And now, to make it worse, thanks to these rumours, she was being painted as the mastermind of this entire thing. It wasn’t just unfair—it was cruel.

I couldn’t let her take the fall for this. No matter what happened between us, no matter how much anger and frustration I felt, she didn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of this mess. The back lash she would face would be unbearable for her, I just knew it.

I grabbed my phone and started drafting a message to the BCCI, but my mind kept drifting back to Vira. What was she doing now? How was she dealing with all this? The thought of her being hurt by this mess gnawed at me, even though I tried to bury it beneath my own anger and frustration.

The room felt suffocating. I couldn’t sit here and wait for things to get worse. I had to do something.

Picking up the letter again, I read it over, feeling the weight of every word. I had no idea how to begin untangling this mess, but one thing was clear—if I didn’t act fast, my entire career could go down in flames. And if Vira got burned in the process, I didn’t know how I’d live with myself.

I stood up and paced the room, my thoughts racing. The BCCI wanted answers, and they wanted them soon. I needed to clear my name, but I also had to protect Vira. I owed her that much. Hell, I owed it to myself.

Taking a deep breath, I picked up my phone again and started typing my response.
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Selfless Shubman omggg 🙈❤️