Beginning of The End

10.01.021

I remember the exact date when all of this began-

January 10, 2021

No one would have pointed fingers at him for keeping quiet that day. But he didn't, he went out of his way to express his disapproval about the racial slurs hurled at Siraj at the SCG. 

It never bothered me before that, but that one tweet made me realize how much these people don't deserve Virat.

The people claiming to support Indian cricket, the former cricketers who use his name for their fame, teammates who can't ever bother to speak up for their captain.

These people will never deserve him.

It all started there- the idea for this book. I wanted to pour my frustration into words. I wanted to build a world with my words where these people would finally realize his worth. At least in fiction I wanted him happy.

Because everywhere I turned all I could see were fingers pointed at Virat when all I wanted to see was his teammates standing up for him. But that never happened and my frustration continued to pile on.

But even then, as I wrote this book, I never believed for a second that any of the boys could ever hurt him. I believed that behind the closed doors things weren't so bad for him. I believed they made things easier for him. Because he told us that this was a family, his family. 

And families stick together right?

The hope within me, the hope that made me believe in them all these years, it always told me that the boys don't need to be vocal. They don't need to show it. They're a family and families don't need to go public with their support.

That hope is dead now.

I don't know how much truth his words hold. I don't know how much should I trust him now. I don't know where to put my trust. I just know that this isn't something I'll be able to cope with.

I want to understand. I want to be mature about this. But I don't think I can. 

I know he's not the same twenty-eight year old boy who scored a century with nine stiches in his hand. But that doesn't change anything. 

Because I know the thirty-two year old man too. The man who still has the same passion for the game as he did five years ago and still wears his heart on his sleeve even after conquering the world.

"They don't need to post about it to show their support."

Fuck that bullshit. 

This isn't something that happens everyday and they're not a bunch of strangers.

And in the end, isn't it all about going an extra mile for someone you love? 

If someone is going to say that we're overreacting and Virat probably doesn't even care, please stop before you embarrass yourself any further.

I don't want to be vindictive and wish ill upon the next captain.

Whoever takes that position, I wish him all the best. I hope he wins all the trophies possible for the team, IPL and ICC both. Because now we know that in the end, that's all that counts for them. I hope that everything works out fine for him. I hope he never has to face any of this. I hope the team does even better under his leadership.

But for me, I don't know if I'll ever be able to watch them anymore.

Ravi Shastri is retiring after the World Cup and BCCI is already looking to appoint Anil Kumble as the head coach. The entire team, they're acting like nothing has happened.

These aren't the boys I cried for.

These aren't the boys I cheered for.

This isn't the team I loved all these years. 

This isn't the team I supported against all odds.

And if this is what the team is now, I don't think I can stand with them any longer.

shree

<3