Cricket One Shots- Extremely Short Stories

Partners, On and Off the Field

"Kumar, I think you should take up the assignment from Royals. I have heard good things about the management and they are building a good team. You would fit right in", Mahela Jayawardene advised his partner. They had shared much together - record breaking partnerships, heartbreaks on and off field, launching the Ministry of Crab together and finally the big step of marriage and settling down abroad.

In all of these years, Sanga had never played against his best friend/ partner - except for some inter team matches, they were always on the same side, supporting each other. Which is exactly why he was apprehensive of taking the coaching job for Royals- he didn't know how to be on the opposing end of Mahela's match tactics. "Talk to me, Sanga. What is going on in your head?", Mahela asked his husband. "You know how I get when I get too competitive. I don't want to get into fights with you. And there are the kids to worry about. We will be gone for more than three months- I will miss them too much",

"They are 8 and 10, Sanga- they don't need you mommying around now - our moms will be coming to stay with them when we travel. And coming to your competitiveness, I have captained you enough to know how to manage you. Should I remind you how I used to fu*k your attitude out, right inside the dressing room, when you got too aggressive?", Mahela asked.

"Can we get the kids to Mumbai for a few days around our match there?", Sanga asked. "Sanga, I won't push you to take up the job. You have been restricting your coaching jobs to our geographical vicinity. You don't need to do that anymore - the kids will be fine without you. Spread your wings- you still have a lot to offer to the youngsters around you", replied Mahela.

Royals announced Kumar Sangakkara as their head coach the following week.

P. S. Happy Birthday to one of my all time favourites- Kumar Sangakkara