Our Captain

Kuldeep's captain

The ICT had come back from watching a movie on its opening night, and Kuldeep went up to Virat eagerly.

"Virat bhai," he began in a tone that made Virat demand wryly, "What do you want?"

"Can you tell Anushka bhabi to get me to meet Jacqueline Fernandez?"

"You'll make a fool of yourself if she does," said Virat at once.

"No, I won't," said Kuldeep earnestly. "I just want to meet her once, she's my favourite actress. Please, Virat bhai?"

"I'll see," said Virat.

Kuldeep hugged Virat bhai because he knew 'I'll see' meant he would do it.

Virat did. And not just simply asking Jacqueline Fernandez to come and meet Kuldeep as a favour. In the next Bolly event Anushka attended, they made sure that the entire ICT was invited.

Kuldeep was in the seventh heaven of delight when he caught sight of the actress he had admired from afar for such a long time.

"Go and talk to her, and for heaven's sake don't act like she's a goddess or something," Virat whispered to him. Kuldeep nodded obediently and went.

After a while it was clear to Virat that Kuldeep was about to embarrass himself enough for an entire lifetime; the way he was looking at that woman made Virat feel suddenly annoyed.

No one had the right to have that kind of hold on his little brother, and look at how haughty she was looking!

Virat walked up to them in a rowdy manner.

"Come on, Kuliya, I've got someone who wants to meet you," said Virat. "Oh, hi, Jacqueline, didn't know you were going to be here," added Virat with convincing surprise.

Kuldeep stared at Virat bhai in consternation, because there was definitely something disparaging about his tone.

"Let's go, Kuliya," said Virat, dragging Kuldeep away by his arm, without sparing the actress a second glance.

"Virat bhai," said Kuldeep, once they were out of earshot, sounding upset. "Why did you do that? I'm sure she felt insulted!"

"If she felt insulted because we didn't come to the party to specifically meet her, she doesn't deserve your worship," said Virat sternly.

Kuldeep was looking like he was about to protest.

"Don't you fall for arrogant creatures like her," said Virat even more sternly.

"Ok," said Kuldeep meekly.

"And now move, for God's sake. A Bollywood starlet wants to meet you. I wasn't lying about that."

Kuldeep wasn't haughty like Jacqueline Fernandez while he spoke to his fan.

A sweet person like his Kuliya shouldn't waste his admiration on worthless people.

And he wouldn't. Not if Virat could help it.

____________

In the KKR vs RCB second leg of IPL 2019, Virat could see that Kuldeep was definitely losing it. He kept looking at DK after every ball, but DK was not Mahi bhai, thought Virat with a wry grin on his face.

The fifth ball was again a six. 27 off the over already!

As Kuldeep came back to bowl the last ball, his face was totally crumpled, and he looked like he was about to cry.

Didn't he realise he had almost lured Ali into his trap--albeit at a very high price... But still... thought Virat.

Look at me, Kuldeep.