A love lost, A life gained

Cherishing Safe Places

Cricketers have attack modes. I am sure all other sportsmen do but theirs is very fascinating because the sport they play is a long drawn out, slow battle in even the fastest format. In three hours, two football matches would be done and dusted.

I am sure you all are familiar with Mahi's little ticks, the shoulder jerks, the wiping of the brow, the restrapping of the glove. I find it fascinating for some reason. Has anyone else watched that movie promotion interview of SSR and Mahi with Gaurav Kapoor, they were talking about his mannerisms, where GK was like he is releasing pressure in that shoulder jerk and Mahi cutely  (A fucking 36 year old shouldn't be this cute but nvm) was like "pressure jHaTak Do". There is some truth in it maybe though. Mahi may not be superstitious but there is a certain level of safety involved in habits like these. Especially since his mind is working so fast in those moments, he is on high alert, it is grounding probably to do those. If I had to describe it though I wouldn't call it a pressure relieving movement though, it is a more attacking "rolling up your sleeves" kind of movement for me. He is in an attack mode, with every ball he is getting more determined. It is akin to cracking your knuckles before a fight.

Dada had a literal attack mode on the other hand. His stance was very unique to me, almost a ninety degree angle crouch with his legs when the ball is bowled and all the power of the shot would come from the way he would spring up from that almost crouch like position, it reminds me of a martial art stance actually. The Bengal Tiger indeed. He is out there for an attack, he doesn't know how to back down. There is enough fight in him to last a century, pure grit and fire.

All of Jammy's attack mode was in his eyes only like Matthew Hayden said, very fiery in his steel determination. Probably one of the most poetic in his movement. Mahi moves with power, it is graceful in its own completely raw way. But Rahul Dravid is textbook definition of grace, its actually very pleasing to watch him play. His defense is his aggression, my guy may be built like a stick figure but he is very determined to make you die first of exhaustion. He would literally rather die than lose, he will outlast you even if he ends up on an IV by the end like he literally did in 2001.

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They spent a good hour or so on the terrace, Mahi absent mindedly pointing out stars he recognized from Priyanka's rants. Dada patiently listened, not complaining about bare feet or how late it was getting. They sat there until Mahi started rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Come on. It's very late now," Dada pulled him up. They trudged back to their floor, running into Bhai in the elevator.

"Your feet are bare," he stated, staring at their feet clearly half asleep.

"We know," Dada replied.

"You should wear shoes," he stated, again in that half asleep voice.

"Yes, thank you for the advice Rahul," Dada sighed pulling them both towards their rooms. They waited until Bhai was in his room before going to theirs.

Dada made beeline for the bathroom, he was still in dress shirt and pants. Mahi dug out the elephant figurine from his pocket. He had taken to carrying it around with him when he could. He didn't know why he did it but it was second nature to run his fingers on the little trunk, rub the smooth surface of the back, feel the intricate designs carved on it. He smiled, a bittersweet melancholy swirling in his heart. She shared his sky with him. The thought refused to leave his head since Dada had said it. She was with him, but she was not. The paradox was tearing his heart in two. This was the closest he had felt to her since April. This was the furthest he had felt to her since April.

"Mahi?"

Dada was standing over him. He hadn't noticed him come out.

"Yes Dada?"