Bound by Love, Separated by Fame

27

Chapter: A Team United in Laughter – Sidharth’s Practice Session

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The cricket field was buzzing with camaraderie and laughter as Sidharth joined his teammates for a practice session that felt more like a reunion of brothers. Legends and rising stars alike—MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Yuvraj Singh, and Harbhajan Singh—were all eager to catch up with him, especially now that he was a newlywed.

Sidharth’s entry onto the field immediately sparked a wave of teasing. Harbhajan was the first to approach him, arms crossed, a playful smirk on his face. "Look who’s finally here, dulhe raja! (groom!) So, Sid, does marriage feel heavier than your cricket gear?”

Before Sidharth could answer, Rohit Sharma chimed in with a laugh, "And I heard a rumor about quadruplets already on the way. Is that why you rushed to practice today, to take a break?"

The entire team erupted into laughter, while Sidharth shook his head, laughing along. "Arey, give a guy a break! We just got married, and here you all are, planning my entire future!”

Just then, Shehnaaz appeared on the field, walking up confidently with her signature charm. She had joined the team with the other wives and girlfriends, all of whom had come to watch their partners. She flashed a knowing smile at Sidharth, who looked relieved to have her support.

She took his arm, facing the team with a feigned look of seriousness. "Quadruplets? Why settle for four when we can go for an entire team? Right, Sid?" She gave him a playful nudge.

Sidharth chuckled, shaking his head, while Virat Kohli laughed, patting Sidharth on the back. "Looks like Shehnaaz is calling all the shots now, Sid. Better listen up!”

The laughter only grew louder as the other wives joined in, teasing and laughing along with Shehnaaz’s playful replies. Rohit’s wife, Ritika, chimed in, "Shehnaaz, you better warn him—you know these guys, they’ll never let this go."

Shehnaaz smirked. "Oh, I’ve got plenty of practice dealing with Sid already. He might be a cricket star, but at home, he’s my star player!"

As Sidharth tried to regain his composure, KL Rahul added with a grin, “By the way, I saw your social media. Shehnaaz Sidharth Shukla, huh? Putting it out there for everyone to see, are we?”

Shehnaaz lifted her chin proudly. "Well, I just wanted to make it clear to all his fans that he’s officially taken!” She grinned at Sidharth, who couldn’t hide his smile. “Besides, my followers love it! I’ve even uploaded our wedding vlogs on my second channel."

"1.5 crore subscribers, huh?" Dhoni teased, shaking his head. "Looks like we should all take lessons from Shehnaaz here!"

Manish Pandey chuckled, nudging Sidharth. "Bro, now we know who the real superstar in this relationship is."

Amid the laughter, Rishabh Pant winked at Shehnaaz. "And what’s on your main channel? Another roast video? You gotta add a line for us, you know."

Shehnaaz crossed her arms, nodding. "Oh, don’t worry. I’ve got you all covered! There’s a whole section just for aunties asking me, ‘Shaadi ke baad zindagi kaise hai?’ (How’s life after marriage?) And my reply? ‘Shaadi ke baad toh glow hi glow hai!’ (After marriage, it’s all about that glow!)”

The whole team burst out laughing, and even Sidharth couldn’t hold back. His face flushed slightly as he gave her a playful nudge. "You’re enjoying this a bit too much, aren’t you, Misti Doi?"

Shehnaaz grinned. "Of course! Just wait till I drop the next roast video. You might want to watch your back, Mr. Shukla!"

The team continued their practice, going through batting, bowling, and fielding drills, but the light-hearted banter never stopped. Every time Sidharth faced the ball, someone would shout out, “Come on, dulhe raja! Show us what married life has done for your batting!”

As Sidharth hit a boundary, Ashwin teased, “Looks like that honeymoon glow did you good, Sid!”

Between practice drills, Sidharth would glance toward the sidelines, catching Shehnaaz’s eye. She waved, blowing him a kiss, which made him smile and shake his head. The rest of the guys immediately caught on, nudging each other with exaggerated reactions.

Just as the practice wrapped up, Sidharth walked over to Shehnaaz, a relaxed grin on his face. "You know, I didn’t realize I’d signed up for this much teasing when I married you," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, come on, Sid," she replied with a wink. "You love it, and you know it!"

They began heading back, but before they left, Virat called out, “Wait! We can’t let you two leave without a quick Q&A session. Newlywed special!”

Shehnaaz looked amused, nodding. "Alright, hit us with your best questions."

Dhoni took the lead. "Who’s the better cook?"

Both Sidharth and Shehnaaz answered at the same time—Sidharth saying “Shehnaaz” and Shehnaaz saying “Sidharth.” Everyone laughed, and Shehnaaz playfully nudged him. "Look at him being modest! But yeah, I handle most of the cooking," she added with a smile.

Next, Rohit asked, "Who’s more likely to get into an argument and win it?"

This time, Sidharth pointed at Shehnaaz without hesitation. “She wins every single time. I don’t even try anymore!”

Shehnaaz laughed. "Well, someone has to keep things interesting!"

Finally, Rishabh Pant asked, "And who’s the social media star?"

Shehnaaz raised her hand with a proud smile, earning cheers and claps from the team.

“Alright, alright,” Sidharth said, trying to save some face, “but don’t forget, I’m the cricket star here.”

Shehnaaz grinned. “True, but you’re my cricket star, remember?”

With a round of applause and a chorus of laughter, the team bid them farewell. As they headed back home, Sidharth held Shehnaaz close, smiling as they talked about their day. Once they were home, Shehnaaz immediately began editing the vlog footage from their day at the stadium, adding funny captions and little roast comments, making sure each teammate’s antics were highlighted.

Sidharth watched her work with admiration. "How do you do it all? You keep up with me, with the team, and then you still have energy for your channels."

Shehnaaz shrugged playfully. "What can I say? Life is a little brighter with you, Mr. Shukla."

That night, as she uploaded the vlog, the comments flooded in with fans congratulating the couple and laughing at the team’s jokes. Shehnaaz glanced at Sidharth, who was reading some of the comments over her shoulder.

"We really are living the dream, aren’t we?" Sidharth murmured, wrapping an arm around her.

Shehnaaz nodded, resting her head on his shoulder. "Absolutely. And the best part is, it’s only the beginning."