Ict: Kith and Kin✅

48

To all those who voted and commented on the previous chapter, thanks a lot 💙

.
.
.

It was the day the first test match between India and Australia was set to begin.

Virat and Rohit were over the moon as they were about to play their first international test match and their friends were equally happy for them.

They couldn't sleep the night before but they repeatedly kept telling each other that in order to perform well they must have proper rest.

They woke up in the morning due to a knock on their door.

It was Sachin pa and the boys suddenly grew worried assuming that he had come to tell them that they won't be playing.

'I'm so sorry for waking you guys. I'll come after some time.' he told them and was about to leave but the boys stopped him.

'We were about to wake in a few minutes anyway. What is that you want to talk about?' Virat asked him while Rohit couldn't stop himself from biting his nails due to tension.

'I just wanted to tell you that this is just your first match and you have a long way to go. So whatever might be your score, I don't want that to affect your belief in yourselves cause we will never stop believing you and so shouldn't you too.' he spoke from his experience and didn't want his juniors to go through the same.

'So we are included in the playing eleven right?' Rohit wanted to confirm.

'Weren't you already informed about it a few days ago?' Sachin pa asked.

With that their doubts were put to rest and the boys were no longer mischievous kids but men with a responsibility.

Day 5 ( final day) of the match:

Australia: 1st innings -> 317-4
                   2nd innings -> 328-9

India: 1st innings -> 256- 10
      
It was the second batting innings of team India who were at 120-5 by the time of stumps on the fourth day.

Yuvraj was yet to bat but the captain and the coaches have decided to send the debutants before him.

India needed to score 270 runs to win the match. But no Indian had hopes of winning. All their match winning Rockstars were dismissed except yuvraj singh.

Two debutants were supposed to be winning the match for them by scoring 270 runs which seemed to be impossible.

Australian fans have already begun congratulating each other after dhoni's wicket fell. Yuvraj single handedly won't be able to score 270 runs anyway.

And no one had belief in the debutants.

'No one is even cheering for us and that's making me more nervous.' Rohit confessed to Virat in the break between overs.

'Don't be. I believe in you.' Virat assured him as they fist pumped before going back to the crease.

They were very determined to give it their best. They knew they'd get atleast 75 overs to bat. So they had to hit 4 runs per over and win the match comfortably.

But what was stuck in virat's mind was the 'They could have just sent Yuvraj and the bowlers instead of these two.' from an Indian seated in the front row whose comment was audible to Virat as he walked in to bat.

The four runs per over wasn't the issue, the mindset of 'Our main men succumbed to 120 -5 , how will Yuvi pa solely win it for us?' when these two were still there.

The Indians at the crease weren't disappointed with that as it was their first test match and no one, including them knew how they'd play. But they were determined to change the mindset of their fans.

The attacking bowling didn't help but and instead of swinging their bats and getting dismissed due to misjudged shots, they displayed maturity and ran between the wickets everytime they got the opportunity to.

By lunch time, Rohit was at 44 (62) and Virat at 31 ( 48) with no boundaries at all. And india had to chase down 225 runs more to win it for their country.

'I am very happy with your batting. Continue the same.' Mahi Bhai hugged them as soon as they've gone for lunch.

'I must say, you guys have shown more maturity with your innings than you have ever shown in your entire life.' yuvi pa teased them and Rohit was very tempted to stick his tongue out at him but controlled himself.

'Don't worry about the result of the match. Just play one ball at a time. And we all believe in you.' sachin pa encouraged them as they were all set to step on the field again.

Those words for their idol gave them enormous boost as they switched gears in the post lunch session.

They've slowly began playing ground shots to the boundaries and with the score, the hopes of the Indians have began rising too.

Virat was batting at 92 when due to miscommunication between him and Rohit, one of them had to lose their wicket.

Rohit who was at 78 was ready to sacrifice his wicket as he believed that it was his fault for late signalling and
refusing it after Virat began running towards him.

But Virat just walked away because he thought Rohit's presence mattered more as he was just getting into the zone to smash the maximums.

Rohit was on a roll in the first five balls of the next over as he scored 20 runs in five balls and reached 98.

But he got a bit too carried away in the last ball of the over and mistimed the ball which has landed in the hands of the fielder at long on.

The Indian fans were crestfallen upon witnessing these two lose their wickets in successive overs. The ones who didn't cheer for them at their arrival are now dejected upon their dismissal. All of it in one single match.

By then Yuvi pa was at 10 in 9 balls and he went into hitting mode and scored 60 runs in 46 balls before being dismissed.

And the rest 20 runs were easily scored by the remaining bowlers.

And that was the first of many times the youngsters stood strong for their team.

.
.

I'm updating a new story called,
'Love you twice' which is based on the concept of the multiverse ( ICT ofcourse) so do check it out if you are interested.