A love lost, A life gained

What Bled Through

In relation to the name of the chapter, the reason why I am so endeared with Mahi's cricket more than others even though people who like technicalities do not rate him high(cricket form of racism imo) is simply because it is out of the box and audacious. His character and personality bleeds into his game. In 2007 T20 WC while he was batting, the commentator made an interesting comment that "India is playing in the character of their captain. Fearless Cricket", and it was true. India gave zero fucks that tournament, they were out to destroy, they were making errors too but they just were not afraid.

I Was watching the 2006 Ind vs Pak Test where he nearly made Shoaib Akhtar kill himself, he was so cheeky. Like one, this guy plays shots that look weird making good balls look bad. Then he sticks to some shots for no reason other than the fact that he likes them and against really good balls too. Playing Hook Shot fours consecutively on bouncers, after it is clear the bowler is out for blood, you have to have some audacity. And that too with that sweet smile of his. Matty Hayden once said, MS is like a seven year old. It is clear in his cricket too, there is mischief in his eyes when he tricks people into feeding shots right into the fielder, when he played that sweep and made Ponting look like an idiot, when he stole two runs when the wicketkeeper made the mistake of hitting the stumps while he was still in the crease. He doesn't celebrate as loudly but that smug smile is speaks volumes. Man is a menace but in a nice and lovable way, you can't really be mad at him for all that, if I was there on the opposition side though, I would want to commit a murder too, RIP Shoaib Akhtar's mental peace, I understand why you were going mad.

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Sourav and Rahul both moved in panic as soon as the tears started. Rahul who was feeling guilty for whatever he had done to cause this, pulled Mahi into a hug, burying his face into his chest while Sourav snatched the culprit, the stupid figurine, out of his hands and flung it away onto the far side of the bed.

"Mahi, bacche please tell me what is wrong, did I do something? You are scaring me," Rahul asked panicked.

Mahi pushed himself away from them grabbing the little figurine back, trying to stop his tears, "I am s-sorry, I am fine, you didn't do anything. Thank you for this,".

The other two exchanged a worried look watching the kid try to pretend to be fine. He was furiously wiping his tears away and forcefully steadying his breath while staring at that thrice cursed elephant.

"Why are you trying to stop yourself from crying? It is okay to feel bad. We are not asking you to stop your feelings Mahi, don't do this please. You are obviously not fine. We have been trying so hard to help you but you have to let us in bacche, it won't make you weak to accept help Mahi," Rahul pleaded.

"I am fine," Mahi denied through gritted teeth, ignoring the tears that were threatening to make a reappearance. He was fine, he was fine, he was fine, he repeated to himself. He couldn't really describe why he felt the need to tell himself that. Just that his skin was crawling and his mind was screaming and whatever Jammy Bhai and Dada were trying to do was making that happen. He needed to be fine.

"Mahi it is okay to cry, don't hold yourself back, it is unhealthy. Why are you stopping yourself?" Sourav snapped, reaching out to tug his idiot kid back into the hug he clearly needed.

He moved further back against the bed in response, trying to get himself out of reach, "Because I don't like it, I don't want to do it, I don't like it," he said through gritted teeth.

Sourav tried to reach out again, "You can cry meri jaan, please let me help you,"

It only drove Mahi further away, a panicked and cornered look on his face, squirming with discomfort and pain that Sourav so desperately wanted to ease. Before he could try again, Rahul caught his hand.