Love at "The Lord's"

Chapter #2: The After-Match!

Sidharth:

We won the match and now celebrating the victory to reach the finals. While traveling back to the hotel by our team bus, the whole team especially the young ones had their knees-up already making videos of the mini celebration itself. Sitting by the window and witnessing the streets of London, I wonder back to the days when the doctor had stated that I may not be able play anymore. The uncertainty that prevailed took me to depression as I was asked to drop down my passion.

Shehnaaz as the name says is the one I take pride in.  I turn my face to take a glance at her when I find her feeding my three years old son a banana! If I say she has changed over the years would be wrong as she is the same golden hearted outspoken girl but have polished herself a bit to fit into this world of glamour and stardom. Being the wife of a cricketer they are under constant scrutinization and to add fuel to the fire is the celebrity wives of our fellow team mates. I mean there is no harm in that but I am just happy the way she has carried herself and standing out for us.

While I nudge to grab her attention a bit, she turns to give me a heartfelt smile which reciprocates the pride she possesses in me. The happiness glimmering in her eyes over my success, I was awarded as the Man of the Match fourth time in this World Cup.

We reach our hotel where the team does a mini celebration. We could afford to stay awake a little late as we have a week's time to prepare for the finals. Next Saturday is the finals.

We call it off a day and disperse to our rooms with our respective family or close friends. I see her to put Agastya into the bed and then face-timing my family back in Mumbai to feed them with the match details. Insider news you know!! My whole family has been up just to hear about the epic six! That six!! I move out with a coffee in my hand to the balcony to grab some fresh air. The Indo-Pak match is no less than a civil war and that has really oozed out every ounce of energy from my body. But the excitement to reach the finals is not letting me sleep even. Thinking of those days I remember my wife, the head strong woman and the best I could ever get as my life partner.

I was on the top of my game.. aur zindagi ke lowest point par... when I met her. Not met actually, I would like to say when I saw her.  It was the India-Srilanka third ODI in Mohali,7th March,2013. The two teams had equal points and that match was crucial as that would label one of the team as the winner of the series.

I was really in a great phase of game but was fighting with a bad break up with my former girlfriend Ruhanika Despande. That was my first series to play with the Indian team jersey on. It was my debut series. Cricket is my passion since my school days and did continue to play even after that. My baba took me to the cricket academy and got me enrolled. Since then I have been practicing hard and has also played the interstate tournaments and various others like Duleep Trophy or Ranji Trophies. But life is not a bed of roses all the time. I lost my father at a very young age and that almost took me on the verge of shattering my dreams. I was the youngest one of my family. I was shifted to a normal school but my mother was against my not playing anymore. She knew it was my dream. She had worked really hard to educate my elder sisters and me.

I used to travel through trains to the academy after my school. My mother used to pack an extra box for that. I have always been surrounded by strong women and perhaps that's why I like the strength of character my wife possesses. My mother is exactly the same in terms of life. I get astonished by the way these important women of my life have effortlessly bonded over a few days and it's exactly the same still. I could never imagine Ruhanika doing the same but with Shehnaaz a big yes!

Talking about Shehnaaz yes... Mohali!! That was an epic day. If ever I need to write an autobiography someday, I would surely write a long chapter on that topic. I chuckle remembering that day. Just before getting selected in the main team I had a bad break up with my ex. Her family wanted a well-settled guy and not a mere struggling batsman playing the Domestic first class cricket. I pleaded from her to give me a bit time but she was in a hurry too to get settled.

"Ruhi yaar sunn na... give me a bit time.. apan sort out kar lega yaar. Dekh tujhe bhi toh modeling karna hain ... we both need time na baba?" I say to make her understand.

"Dekh yaar time tu le shakta hain par gurantee kya hain Sid ki tu Indian team mein khelega? Bohot kum logoko chance milta hain .. aur dekh itna para likha toh tu hain.. give interviews or exams and set a job for our future." She chided back.

"Ruhi it's not only my dream but also my baba's too and I can't afford to give it up so soon. Mereko iss guilt mein nehi rehene ka ki maine give up kar diya... kash aur try kar leta!" I reason up more.

Ten days later she called me to meet over a coffee shop and ended up the relationship in a jiffy stating she was done with the cloud of uncertain future of us.

After a month of this when I completely focused on my game the news came of my selection in the national team. To say I was happy would be an understatement but never the thought of calling her and sharing it to her came to me. I was hurt the way she left and wanted to start afresh not knowing what the next day had in store for me. I had the confidence that she would know somehow. I had a family to rejoice at my first step of the success and that was enough for me.

The first ODI at Eden Garden's, Kolkata was own by us and the second we lost at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium,Karnataka against Srilanka.

The series was really on the edge and both the teams were keen to win. I was lucky enough to get a chance to play throughout the series as our then Captain M.S. Dhoni who trusted a new comer like me. I was getting a churning effect in my stomach jaise ki koi ajeeb ghatna hone wala hain... I kickside my thoughts thinking it to be the match's excitement but life it is after all has something more exciting stored in its box.

I was the fourth batsman to come down on the crease. Punjab di Khusboo had given us some kind of extra energy. I was on the field with Suresh Raina chasing to win and a partnership well enough to get going towards the victory. I made a remarkable quick half century to start with. I was batting really good when Kumar Sangakara delivered a loose ball and I did hit "THE SIX!"

It was a massive one and hit straight into the crowd.. on top of Shehnaaz to be precise. The ball had straight launched and hit her head - The Cerebrum to be apt.  The big screen showing her and there was she!! She got hurt but did not fuss. Her friends may be were trying to give ice or see the after effect  but all she was doing was shouting on the top of her lungs "Chak de Fatte!" ...My God!! What was she!! Usko lagi thi yaar paar match ke maaze bhi lene theey...

I wanted to apologize for no fault of mine even and I saw Raina laughing like hell followed by the Srilankan team while all had their eyes glued at the big screen. I again looked back and I swear I saw the most beautiful face or the soul. I gestured to cameras to turn to me and I took off the helmet to convey a sorry which I did and the match resumed.

Throughout the match my thoughts travelled back to that face. No I did not loose my focus on the game but something in me told me I need to find this face very soon.

We won the series, and while travelling back to the team hotel I was met with a set of reporters just outside the stadium to engulf me for sharing my experience as I had marked a noticeable start in the series. While giving the interviews I swear I saw the face again behind the crowd cheering but the security of the team!!! We were straightly channelized to the team bus.

Raina totally making a fun of the event, "Shukla tune series ke saath ek ladki ke saar bhi phod dala yaar! Itna josh lata kahan se bhai! Humme bhi batana zara..."making everybody laugh in the bus.

"She was beautiful!" sighed I trailed off my thoughts a bit too loud and the whole team turned to look at me followed by "Oye Hoye-s" and whistles from my team mates.

We started off but something in me told that I was leaving a connection back there and would really have to connect the dots very soon......

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Love from Rajashree.