Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter - 100

The next morning, the soft rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains in Rahul's room. Meera was asleep on the couch nearby, curled up in a blanket, her breathing soft and peaceful. She had stayed up late into the night, fussing over Rahul, making sure he was comfortable and his injury was taken care of. Rahul had finally convinced her to rest, patting her head gently as she drifted off.

Rahul, already awake, sat on the edge of his bed, sipping water and stretching cautiously to avoid aggravating the pain. He glanced at Meera with a fond smile, her calm face a contrast to the fierce determination she'd shown the previous day.

The door creaked open, and Harry stepped in, carrying a tray with two steaming mugs of coffee. He stopped short, taking in the scene, before grinning. "Well, look at this," he whispered, setting the tray down on the bedside table. "Our fierce security chief, knocked out like a baby. She must've been exhausted."

Rahul chuckled softly. "She was," he said. "She wouldn't rest until she was sure I was okay."

Harry leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. "You've got quite the guardian angel, man. But I'm here to check on you too—how's the hero feeling this morning?"

Rahul smirked. "A little sore, but better. And before you ask, yes, I'm icing it properly. I don't need another lecture from Meera—or Virat."

Harry laughed, shaking his head. "Good call. Both of them looked ready to kill you yesterday."

Just then, Meera stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked, taking a moment to register her surroundings before sitting up groggily. "What time is it?" she murmured.

"Time for you to have some coffee and relax," Harry said, handing her a mug. "You've earned it."

Meera took the cup with a small smile, her eyes immediately darting to Rahul. "How's the pain?" she asked, her voice still tinged with sleep but full of concern.

"Better," Rahul assured her. "Thanks to you, Nurse Meera."

She rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Good. Now don't do anything reckless today."

Harry grinned, watching the exchange. "You know, Meera, I think you're scarier than any coach or captain he's ever had."

"Someone has to be," she shot back, her tone teasing but firm.

__________________________________________

The practice ground was buzzing with energy. Some players were in the nets, practicing their batting; others were working on their fielding drills or fine-tuning ball control. The air was filled with the sound of cricket balls hitting the bat, chatter among teammates, and occasional laughter.

On the other side of the field, Shubman Gill was engrossed in a peculiar challenge set up by coach Abhishek Nayar. The task? To uproot the single center stump entirely with a direct hit from a throw.

"Fifty dollars says this guy doesn't pull it off," Nayar said, a mischievous grin on his face.

Shubman smirked, all confidence. "Challenge accepted!" he shot back. The fielding coach, T. Dilip, stood nearby, supervising with a bemused expression, ready to intervene if needed.

Shub took a few tries, coming close each time but not quite achieving the goal. Slowly, the commotion caught the attention of others. Virat, Rahul, Rohit, Harry, and Rishabh sauntered over, abandoning their drills to watch the spectacle. Even the bowlers—Jasprit, Ashwin, Jadeja, and Siraj—joined in, laughing and cheering him on.

"Come on, Shub!" Virat shouted. "You've got to nail this!"

Rahul added with a smirk, "Or are you just all talk, Gill?"