In the Darkest Hour

The fishy phone call

The selection committee, in a strange decision, had appointed Yograj Singh, father of one of India's biggest limited overs legends Yuvraj Singh, as coach across all formats.

All the players were surprised, and even more so when Rayudu, who had been snubbed for the WC, was picked for the ODI squad.

On the flight to West Indies, Virat shrugged it off. "It doesn't really make a difference--Rayudu won't get in the playing XI anyhow."

Neither Rayudu nor Yograj was on that flight.

"Isn't Yograj Singh supposed to have a grudge against Indian cricket?" asked Jaddu dubiously.

"That's what I thought, too," said Rohit. "Ever since Yuvi paaji was dropped..."

"His grudge is mainly against Mahi bhai, though," said Jinks. "And Mahi bhai is resting. Yograj sir wouldn't harm us."

If Jinks had known how this conviction that 'Yograj Singh wouldn't harm us' was going to affect their team, he would never have uttered those words in his dreams.

But at that moment, no one disagreed with him.

____________

Back in India, as Yograj Singh and Ambati Rayudu were boarding the same flight to WI, the former slipped a bundle of money into the latter's hands.

Rayudu's evil grin was bursting out of his face.

"I'll get it done in less than one month."

____________

Yograj Singh was a pretty big hit in the team. He never pushed his weight around, and struck up a good relationship with both Rohit and Virat at once, as well as the rest of the team.

Few days before the WI series started, Rohit and Virat were strolling in the garden in the evening. When they were returning to the hotel, Rayudu, hidden behind some bushes, sent a message to Yograj.

Rohit's phone rang.

"It's Yograj sir," he told Virat with a shrug, as he received the call.

"Hello, Rohit beta, could you spare a few minutes?"

"Yes, sure, sir," said Rohit, and he mimed at Virat, "You go ahead, I'll join you."

Rayudu tailed Virat and as Virat reached the ground floor corridor, he sent another message.

Yograj Singh had artfully been talking about the number 4 position, which was a delicate issue, and when he got Rayudu's second signal, he cut the call and dialled a fake number.

"No, beta, I told you it's not possible," he was saying as Virat came within earshot. "Split captaincy...is not a good idea here..."

Virat froze.

"I don't have enough authority to remove Virat from limited overs captaincy," he said flatly. "And I wouldn't try it, either."

For a wild moment, Virat wondered if there was some other team Yograj sir was coaching and if that team had a captain called Virat, too.

"What's wrong with you? Isn't being vice captain enough?" began Yograj gently, when he suddenly caught sight of Virat.

"Oh--Virat--" he said, looking horror-struck. "Hey--talk to you later," he said in the phone and cut the call.

Virat was staring at him, unable to speak.

"It was nothing, you know," Yograj tried to cover. "Nothing."

"I know," said Virat, as he turned away. Before he knew what he was doing, Virat was running at full speed towards his room.

"It was nothing," he told himself, when he reached his room, trying to calm himself down. "It was nothing."

But when someone knocked at his door later that night, he didn't answer. Rohit's call came moments later.

Virat ignored it, pretending to be asleep.

But sleep was far away from his eyes that night.