rematch | ishman

flashback

"Does it hurt a lot?" Shubman asked, his eyebrows knitted in concern.

"N-not unbearable," Ishan lied, swallowing a groan as a jolt of pain shot up his spine.

"God, Ish, why did you have to do a drill you never do before a matchday?" Shubman huffed, attempting to massage Ishan's back. He pulled his hands away as Ishan inhaled sharply, clearly in pain. “Seriously, how are you going to play like this?”

Ishan shook his head rapidly, staring hard at the ceiling. “I can, I will.”

“Ish, you can rest for one game, you know?” Shubman could see right through Ishan’s act.

“Not if that one game is the fucking final, Shubman,” Ishan snapped. “The scouts are going to be there. My fifties, my hundreds, they won't matter if I don't perform tomorrow.”

Shubman gritted his teeth in agitation. “Okay, you push yourself tomorrow. Then what? You risk being out of the game for months. Your body can't handle it, Ish.”

“You don't get to decide what my body can handle,” Ishan retorted, his voice edged with defiance as he glared back.

Shubman wanted to argue but seeing his friend in pain, he simply sighed. “Just get some rest for now, alright?”

Ishan continued glaring at the wall, unable to face away from Shubman even if he wished to, due to the persistent backache. The latter carefully settled beside him, slowly draping his arms around Ishan’s torso.

“I just want you to take care of yourself, Ish,” he said softly.

“Not at the price of leaving my team,” Ishan grumbled.

Shubman smiled, reaching to caress Ishan’s cheek gently. “You think it wouldn't cost us if you were to hurt yourself? Idiot.”

Ishan couldn't come up with a response, so he closed his eyes, pretending to sleep. He just hoped he'd be in form the next day.

He wasn't.

Each time he had to twist his waist to hit a boundary in practice, a sharp jolt of pain surged through him, and he’d let out a small groan.

"Coach, he can't possibly play like this," Shubman insisted. “Why don't you stop him?”

Coach sighed. “You think I haven't tried? He is the most stubborn boy I’ve ever come across.”

A sense of unease settled in his chest, a nagging feeling that something was about to go wrong. It wasn't just about the match. He was worried about Ishan, who had been pushing himself to the limit for months, ignoring Shubman’s warnings. The boy was clearly on the brink of a breakdown, and Shubman had no idea how to help him.

“Gill,” Coach turned to him with serious eyes. “I chose you to be the Vice Captain because I trusted you with this team, okay?”

Shubman wasn't sure why Coach thought it was a good time to bring that up but he nodded anyway, his eyes still fixed on a struggling Ishan in the distance.

“Some decisions are hard but you have to make them for the team,” was all Coach said before leaving.

Shubman stood there, feeling his heart weighing down on him. He winced as Ishan dropped his bat and instinctively grabbed his back, as if it burnt. Shubman's immediate impulse was to rush to his friend's side, but he stopped in his tracks when he saw Ishan fight back angry tears.

He’s in pain. He’s in pain. He’s in pain.

That was all Shubman’s mind could repeat as dashed out of there. It was going to be the hardest decision of his life.