Two people can be seen having a conversation , one of them who is driving the car can be heard saying " Aaj fir late honge ".

The person sitting beside him said " Sab Teri Galti h , Tu hi busy tha romance Karne me "

" Arre baas Kar , we will talk about this later, abhi stadium poch gye h , me car park Karke aata Hu , you run , I will meet you directly inside." Said the person sitting in the driving seat trying to escape from being embarrassed by his best friend. Listening this,the other person ran inside the stadium not before taking both their kits.

After a while,  Both tried to sneak stealthily  into the practice session avoiding the eyes of their coach aka Bhai but stopped immediately hearing a voice , the second person muttered " fass gye " .

"Yeh hai humara Indian Cricket team  ke Captain aur Vice Captain , late for a practice session....wow.(Slow claps). These rules were set few years ago by  people who are best in this game and yeh accha rahega if they are not changed now for anyone and I mean it, for anyone " said the person.

"Sorry Bhaiya , Woh "  the Captain tried saying but the person stopped him in midway with a mere  gesture of his hand.

"Sorry doesn't sort everything Rahul...Rules are same for everyone and it's either Coach or Sir for you guys. I prefer to be called as bhaiyya only by my kiddos" said the Coach.

" Let them go Jad " Bhuvneshwar Kumar , the bowling coach  said coming from behind and  then turning towards Rahul  , he further said " You go and pad up , I will give you throw down , I'm coming in a while " and at last turning towards Shreyas  " you also go , Shikhar was searching for you ." Bhuvi said this coming between the two before Jaddu can say anything else to Rahul and Shreyas. Rahul gave a look of gratitude to Bhuvi , while , Shreyas just nodded.

(A/n: So, our Jaddu bhaiya is the coach  , I know all of you were expecting either Mahi Bhai or Rohit here , so kesa laga surprise 😉)

After Rahul and Shreyas had just left from there, Bhuvi said " Jaddu , It's been two years , I know you aren't willing  to  forgive them but atleast don't bring personal things over here , They play for our country , you can for the least be professional around them if not personal ."

" You don't need to teach me how I should behave with the team  Mr.Kumar. I'm the head coach and I know my job very well ,it will be better if you focus on yours.You may  have forgotten the rules and the people who made them but I haven't " Jaddu said a little harshly and left from there.

The tone in which Jaddu said those words  has hurt Bhuvi a lot but he can't do anything except staying silent. He has upto an extent became habitual to this tone of Jaddu, his Jad ,  the current Head coach of Team India. He missed the carefree Jaddu , who used laugh all the time at random ghatiya jokes,who used to tell his famous made up Jamnagar stories but now he no longer does so. He has changed, not only Jaddu but everyone has changed. The friends ....the seven friends or better referred as the seven brothers whose friendship started from the 2013 Champions Trophy ...who were so close to each other, who used to be each other's support in all happiness , up's and downs, highs and lows are no longer so. Every equation has changed. Kaash he could have changed what happened that  day but no one could. He could have stopped Mahi Bhai from going away, from them but he couldn't. He was unable to do so. He was helpless..Back then and even now .  ' Where are you Bhai, just come back , our team is breaking ,your team jo aapne itne mushkil aur pyar se banaya ,wo tut raha hai bhai,rather tut gaya bhai...tut gaya.. Only you can bring them together again ...Kaha ho aap??Mujhe aap ki jarurat hai..Aap ki team ko aapki jarurat hai Bhai, please wapas aa jao , pleasssseeeee'

Bhuvi was thinking all this when he felt a  tap on his shoulder .

"Bhuvi....Bhuvi , I have been  calling you for a while but seems like you are lost somewhere, are you busy ?" Asked the person.

" Nhi DK, I'm not but tum yha , achanak , kese ." Bhuvi asked astonished on finding DK in the stadium. DK aka Dinesh Karthik , a former player of team India who is  now happily retired from the sport that they love the most...The sport that gave them a lot...The sport that taught them a lot...The sport that made them family...The sport that brought them so close to each other. He was also one of the members of the CT2013 Squad.

That time , they were 11, but through the years only 7 remained and that seven are also broken away,so distant frm one another.

" Itne Sare questions ek sath , actually me yha KAL ki board meeting ke liye Aaya tha , time tha toh socha yha aa jao, tum sab se milna bhi ho Jayega , aajkal milte hi kha h..bade log jo hogaye.. , busy ho kiya tum " DK  asked again.

" Arey yaar...Aisa kuch nhi...Aur tumhe tho pata hi hai humara kaam kaisa hai..And rahi baat busy hone ki ,Nhi me just Rahul ko throw down dene ja Raha tha , aur tum jab chaho tab Milne aa sakte ho , mana ki tum retire ho gye ho but still you are part of this family, you know that right??" Bhuvi said in a soft tone .

" Haa......." DK said and further said a little hesitantly " Would you mind if I join you , if I give the throw down to Rahul " .

" No , I won't , come join us." Bhuvi said.

After which DK joined both  Rahul and Bhuvi , giving some throw downs and few important tips to Rahul for improving his hand movements while Bhuvi is giving some suggestions to Jassi and Kul regarding bowling.

After sometime ,
In one corner of the stadium away from prying eyes and media cameras,

" DK, KAL board meeting h , Woh bhi ayega kiya " Bhuvi asked a little hesitantly.

" Haa Woh morning ki flight se ayega , mujhe Sare paperworks dekhne the isliye aaj Aaya me " DK said.

"Acha" Bhuvi said. After  a brief moment of silence ,  Bhuvi added " Woh thik h na. "

" Haa Woh thik h , tumlogo ko boht miss karta hai wo but kehta nhi h ..Jab bhi  ek group of people ko practise karte hue ya khelte hue   dekhte hai na wo,I guess tum sabka hi yaad aati hai usko...tab uski aankhe nam hojati hai..But he very quickly wipes them away thinking kisine nahi dekha but thodi na wo chupa sakta hai..He has built a wall around himself and isn't allowing anyone  to come inside it. "  DK said.

" He has become so much cold and distant from us , he doesn't talk with us anymore , the only way to know about him is through you and isliye humesha tumhe trouble karna padhta hai mujhe " Bhuvi said.

" Arey kya baat kar rahe ho tum Bhuvi...Family kehte ho and paraya bhi kar rahe ho trouble wouble bolke..Aur rahi baat uski,Boht dard chupaya h usne Apne Ander, kare bhi toh Kiya , ek pal me hi usne Apne sabse karibi rishte kho diye " DK says.

" Hum Kuch nhi Kar paaye uss waqt.. Par kash...kaash hum usse humse dur Jane se ROK sakte , jab tak humne realize kiya , it was too late. Bahut der hogaya...wo itna dur jachuke  h humse ki humari pukar  bhi uss tak nahi pahuch rahi hai...ya pahuch ke bhi adhura hi reh jaa rahi hai.. Please don't leave him , hum usse dur ho gye tum mat Hona " Bhuvi said teary eyed.

" No I won't . And don't worry , I know even he will come tomorrow and I pray ki he will be successful in convincing him " DK said with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

" Hope so , only he can do this , the only person apart from you whom he  talks with " Bhuvi said with the same glimmer of hope.

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Meanwhile , After getting padded up , when Shreyas reached the nets to practice  , he saw that Shikhar bhaiya, the current Batting coach of Indian Cricket Team,  is teaching some tactics to Dev and Mayank , the current opening pair of Team India. Seeing that Shikhar is busy , Shreyas thought to speak with him later and was about to go from there when Mayank saw him and called " Shrey come join us , Shikhar bhaiya itni Achi technique bata rahe h ,jo tera bhi kaam aayega.."

Shreyas has no other choice left rather than to join the three. Seeing Shreyas coming there , Dev said "  Mayank Bhai I'll leave , mein waha jaake thodi practice  karta hu, mene warm-up nhi Kiya abhi tak ."

Before Mayank can say anything , Shreyas said " Rehne de Mayu tumlog sikho me badme aata Hu . Mein baad me sikh Lunga Bhai se ." 

To which Mayank replied " Kiu rehne de , you are the one down batsman and it's your duty to know the action of both of us ,you need to be in sync with both of us, because there will be many situations where we will be batting together in the middle , we can't lose our wickets then , what will you say there , ki nhi me badme jaunga batting Karne.  Chahe koi Kuch bhi khe , you will practice with us."

" Haa Mayank Bhai aapko kiu koi  farak padega , koi Kuch bhi soche aap toh wahi karenge na Jo aapki marji hogi,aur aap ko sahi lagega... Shayad aap bhule ho , mein nhi bhula aur Na hi Kabhi bhulunga "  Dev said bluntly.

" Dev you are crossing the line , don't forget against whom you are saying this, the person standing before you is  your vice captain ."  Mayank says.

" Issi Baat Ka toh gum h mujhe  ki yeh vice captain h , mujhe aur hum sabko yeh maana pad raha hai.. Jo huwe Uske baad , he should have left......... " Dev was saying but Shikhar stopped him in mid way.

" Not a word against , this topic is over , Dev behave a little professionally , this kind of misbehaviour I won't tolerate .You might have a thousand  differences between you guys off the field,but once you are on the ground I don't want things like this...Behave like professionals..Ye  na bhulo ki ye sab training mera under hai and mera under hi rahega" Shikhar said trying to be calm. 

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Meanwhile , after being done with some throwdowns , Rahul joined the team for some field practice . Harry, Rishabh , Shubmaan , Shreyas and Abhishek (Abhay) were taking catches under the supervision of their fielding coach , Manish Pandey. Everything is going well peacefully , yes ...it is peaceful than always as no drama is being made here. But peace doesn't last long.

Harry threw the ball over Rahul but it was quite far so Rahul missed it.

Seeing this Manish says " Waah Kiya Baat h , Mr . Captain , it seems  sabko bachate bachate ,  ball ko boundary se bachana bhul gaye ho tum."  He also further added " Shreyas kam se kaam ball pe toh dhyan de do, humesha itni laparwahi Achi nhi Hoti ."

Shikhar who has come to call Shreyas for batting  said " Woh laparwah nhi h Mani, usse aapna kaam ache se karna aata h , aeshi iss mukam par nhi pohche h dono , aapni kabiliyat aur mehnat ke dum pe h yha  yeh dono ."

"Dhawan ji aap apne area yaani batting pe dhyan de toh Jada behtar hoga, Fielding mere area h aur isse kaise sambhalna h mujhe aata h , mujhe Mera kaam na sikhaye toh behtar hoga. Jaise aapko aapke area mein kisi ke Dhakalbaazi accha nahi lagta waise Meiko bhi bilkul accha nahi lagta"  Manish said a little bit sarcastically.

Just then Jaddu come there and says " Mani  tum bhi kisko bol rahe ho...Chodo na. Waise practise session toh almost over hogaya h.
And Mr. Dhawan kal meeting hai , aap Mr. Kumar ko bhi inform kar dijiye ga."

Hearing which Shikhar was about to say something but Jaddu said "  Don't you dare deny it , yeh meeting  mene nahi bulai hai , yeh BCCI head ne bulaya h , so it will be better if you both can make it."

" Don't worry we will be there " Bhuvi said coming from behind.

And the scene ends here.

A/n: So much have changed , the equation in between the players have changed. Why , no one knows , Stay tuned to find that .

Yours
AR✨

And about the characters:
Hamari ICT Kisi introduction ki mohtaaj nhi h , unhe toh sab jante h 😁😍

P.S- I know we said we will publish the next part on Friday but kya Kare, we are damn excited , isliye aaj hi Kar Diya . So, enjoy reading it .