MSD - ICT's Big Brother

Those shoes are too big for him (Pant and MSD)

This is another small fic about Pant and MSD. It's set after the incident in Mohali in India vs Australia match. It's a really small fic but I promise I am working on a long one and will upload that soon. Meanwhile read this and enjoy. Also please comment and let me know if you liked it.

Those shoes are too big for him

It was the fourth odi between India and Australia. Kohli had rested Dhoni for the last two to try out Rishabh Pant. MSD had supported the decision wholeheartedly. He was proud of Virat to for supporting a youngster like Pant. From the start of the series he had loved train with young boy. He had known Pant even before this of course, he had taken an interest in him since his debut series. The boy seemed worship him, like literally. And MSD always smiled at that, he never expected life to give him this much. He behaves around him just like a young Kohli had behaved around Sachin. MSD had never thought there may be people who would idolise him. But now that the kid did hang on to him so much, he was happy to share all his experience with him, to teach him all he knew. MS watched from the dug out as in the 44th over Chahal bowled to Ashton Turner, Pant tried to collect the ball and throw it back like MS did and missed. The crowed went berserk, chanting "Dhoni Dhoni" and "We want Dhoni." Virat also shouted something to him. MS could see the hurt in Rishabh's body language and the pained smile. The kid was 20yrs old, he didn't deserve this. He did his best. After the over ended Virat too came near him and tried to boost him. But the blow was real. MS could see that. The over emotional Mohali crowd didn't know the damage it had done on self esteem of that boy.

Pant was sitting in his room. KulCha had gone out to some mall, they had tried to take him too but he didn't feel like going anywhere. The crowd was right he wasn't even comparable to Dhoni he knew that. But it isn't his fault, he was trying his best. But they were right he would never be able to step in MSD's shoes, they were too big for him. He was worth nothing, couldn't even do a stumping right. He was useless. He was lost in his overthinking when someone knocked at the door. "It's open, come in" Rishabh called. He was surprised to see MS Dhoni entering the room and closing the door behind him. "You want to play Fifa?" MS asked shocking Pant even more. "Yes sir" he mumbled because how could you deny the MSD. MS sat beside him on the bed. "How many times do I tell you? It's not sir." MS said "Call me Mahi MS anything not sir it makes me feel old. You can call me Bhai like the others." "Ok...sir...I mean Bhai" Rishabh said. "That's better" MS said plugging in the gaming console to the TV. "Let's start?" "Yeah" Pant replied quietly. As the game progressed MS saw that Rishabh started getting comfortable. "No, no, no" he shouted as MS scored another goal sealing the victory. "You are better than me even at this" Pant said ruefully, the hurt hidden in his voice."What was that?" MS asked "It was nothing" Rishabh said, he couldn't show he was weak not in front of MSD. "Rishabh" MS said pausing the game "Let me tell you another rule of ICT, when you call me Bhai here, you don't hide things from me because I come to know any ways. Ask others they will tell you. The stumping incident today is bothering you isn't it?" Rishabh tried to protest but decided against it. "Yes" he said resigned voice. "Well you know the Indian crowd is emotional about this game and it takes time for them to accept change. You shouldn't think about them so much." "But they were right." Rishabh said lowering his eyes. MS placed a hand on his shoulder and unconsciously Rishabh leaned into his hands. "How old are you Rish?" MS asked. "20 yrs. Why?" "You know what I was doing when I was your age?" MS said "I was collecting tickets at a railway station in Kharagpur not even sure if I will ever play cricket for India. And look at you, you are playing for India at this age. You should be very very proud of yourself." "You make those stumpings look so easy. I missed so badly" Rishabh said. "Do you think I was that good from day 1?" MS asked "The effortlessness you see comes from experience. I have played international cricket more years than half your age. You will also get there. Give yourself time, learn from your mistakes, work hard to be better that yourself." "But I will never be you." Rishabh said. "No you won't. Just like I will never be Adam Gilchrist, Virat will never be Sachin, Bumrah will never be Malinga. See it's ok have a role model, but at the end of the end you are you. And I am sure you will be even better than me with time. I believe in you bachcha, I really do." MS said with utmost sincerity in his voice. Pant already felt better, his mentor was telling him he is worth something. That felt nice. "And I will be there to teach you, to help you. You don't have it figure things out alone. That's what we do in this team, we help each other." MS said rubbing Rishabh's arm. "You can always ask me for anything, I promise I will be there for you." He said pressing Rishabh's shoulder. "Thanks...Bhai" Rishabh said, with warmth and respect oozing out of his voice. MS smiled pulled and him in a side hug and ruffled his hairs. "From next time if you are feeling low about something, you will come and talk to me or Virat or Rohit or anybody, but you will not sulk in the room alone. Understood?" MS said, while Rishabh nodded still in the hug "Now don't even think of this incident, you will rock it in the next match." "Thank you for...everything Bhai" Rishabh said separating from MS. "Can I train with you tomorrow?" he asked "Of course you can champ" MS said ruffling his hair again and got up. "BHAI" Rishabh called tentatively as MSD was about to go. "Ha bachcha?" MS asked. "Will you play some more?" Rishabh said not wanting to sit alone. "Of course" MS said sitting back down "I will play as long as you want." And they continued play Fifa. Rishabh didn't feel terrible any more. His idol believed in him and that was all the boost he needed. MS smiled to himself as he realised that he had now added another name in his list of crazy younger brothers. And he will be there for all of them as long as he could.

A/N: See how adorably Pant looks at MSD.