A Victory which Matters (Dedicated to 27 and 45)

Part 5

When Pujara told Virat of the last night's happenings, the latter couldn't have been more dismayed.

"Why did you have to take sides, Puji?"

"What?" said Pujara disbelievingly. "Someone has to stand up for Jinks, haven't they, since he won't stand up for himself?"

"It's not like that... Rohit doesn't always means what he says..."

"You only needed to hear his voice to see whether he meant them or not."

Virat could imagine it.

"Rohit is not spiteful," said Dhawan suddenly. "I know him better than you do, Puji. He's not spiteful."

Virat groaned.

"Now don't you start taking sides as well, Shikhar."

"I'm not. I just said--"

Virat glanced at Ash, who tried to smile reassuringly, but failed. Because he wasn't exactly sure himself that everything would get all right soon.

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The most awkward moment of the day came in the evening when the team had assembled to watch an earlier match is theirs with South Africa.

Rohit and Jinks opened for India. After a fair knock, Jinks was dismissed. Rohit, however, went on to score a century.

On the screen flashed the scene of Jinks standing up in the dressing room and clapping, a genuine smile on his face.

Virat glanced at both Rohit and Jinks, sitting on either sides of the room. Both of them had their heads right down, pretending not to care.

And suddenly, Virat felt a terrible longing to get back the days when the Indian team had been 'a bunch of friends playing together.'

The only way to achieve that again was to reunite two of his best friends, who now hated the sight of each other.