Bhuvi wondered why and how the role of playing mother to the kids always fell on him.

First there was Hardik he'd had to calm down and comfort after Jaddu ran him out. And now, as he was walking down the corridor for dinner--Virat had insisted they eat together, that is, mourn together--the door beside his room was stubbornly closed.

Jassi's sobs could be heard quite clearly if you stood outside the door and listened quietly, which was what Bhuvi was doing just then.

Bhuvi knocked loudly. "Jassi?"

Jassi couldn't shout 'go away!' like Virat would have; nor could he just ignore Bhuvi like some of the others would have done--he was far too mild and soft natured for that.

He opened the door.

Bhuvi felt awful as he saw the kid's crumpled and heartbroken face. Clearly he had been crying for hours.

"What happened?" asked Jassi tearfully.

"Well, I came to call you for dinner, but clearly you're in no state to go down," said Bhuvi.

Jassi's eyes started filling with tears again.

"Stop crying, Jass...these things happen," said Bhuvi. And wasn't it true? Hadn't they lost knockout matches continuously for four years from 2014 to 2017?

"But it was all my fault! I blew it away!" sobbed Jassi.

Bhuvi stepped inside and closed the door, and went to sit on the bed.

"Come here," he said, gesturing at Jassi to sit beside him.

Jassi obeyed without a word.

"You think it was your fault?" asked Bhuvi quietly. "I could say the same, you know. So could Ash, Jaddu and Hardik. At least you got Zaman out once, which is more than what we can say."

"But it was no good--it was a no ball," Jassi's voice rose to a wail at the last two words. "It was my fault!"

"No, Jass," said Bhuvi, putting an arm string Jassi's heaving shoulders. "It wasn't your fault. Not yours alone."

Jassi's head was bent and he was still sobbing hard.

Poor kid, thought Bhuvi, feeling extremely sorry for him. He was only 23, after all, too young to deal with losing a final to Pakistan. He was far too young for the crushing weight of expectations that every talented cricketer of India had to bear.

"Listen to me, Jassi," said Bhuvi gently. "Today's loss...it was Rohit, Shikhar and Virat's fault for getting out so fast...it was the middle order's fault for not being more cautious when the top order got out...it was all us bowlers' fault for letting them get to 330...it was Jaddu's fault for running out Hardik... Hardik's fault for being the most expensive... your fault for bowling the no ball..my fault for failing to give us the breakthrough..."

Jassi was listening to Bhuvi in surprise.

"...it was our fault, don't you see? The entire team's fault," said Bhuvi firmly.

"But if I hadn't bowled that no ball..." began Jassi.

"If Rohit and Virat had put up a 200 stand..." said Bhuvi, imitating his tone.

"I'm not sure I agree with you on this," said Jassi, sounding confused.

"I've had a few more years of experience, haven't I? Why don't you just take my word for it?"

"I..."

"No one in the team thinks it's your fault. It's the team's fault; it always is. That's why we're a team, after all."

"Are you sure you're not saying this just to make me feel better, Bhuvi bhaiya?" asked Jassi anxiously. His steam of tears had slowed down a lot.

"I'm sure, Jass," assured Bhuvi, pulling Jassi closer to him.

Jassi buried his head in Bhuvi's shoulder and Bhuvi held him till the tears stopped completely.

"Go and wash your face, child," said Bhuvi affectionately. "We're seriously late for dinner."

Again, Jassi obeyed him without objection.

While they were walking down, Bhuvi took Jassi's arm and said, "Just ensure you work on your run up so that you stop overstepping, ok?"

Jassi nodded fervently.

"Life always gives you a second chance," said Bhuvi, so philosophically that Jassi suddenly laughed, competely surprising himself.

When Virat caught sight of Jassi's tearless face and Bhuvi sticking by his side all through dinner, he couldn't help grinning.

Bhuvi was hardly 4 years older that Jassi and Hardik--how did he deal with them so well?

___________

Over the next few months, when Jassi made his wonderful Test debut, when he rose to no. 1 in ICC ODI rankings, most importantly, when he stopped bowling no balls almost completely, Bhuvi didn't try to hide his pride in his partner, who had become like a younger brother to him by then.

It was always their partnership--whether it be the opening spell or the death; if Bhuvi controlled runs, Jassi took wickets; if Jassi controlled runs, Bhuvi took wickets. They spent hours discussing their strategies, different ones for SA, England and Australia, and Virat didn't realise the exact moment from when Bhuvi-Jassi became his stable pair to fall back on, always in the hour of need.

___________

In January 2019, when Jassi was rested for the NZ tour, Shami and Bhuvi were taken as the main pacers. Shami played impressively, sometimes better than Bhuvi.

It was right from the beginning that Virat feared inside that he'll have to make a choice for the World Cup someday soon--Bhuvi or Shami? Because Jassi, of course, was indispensable.

Jassi returned for the home Australia series and Virat played Bhuvi and Shami by turn. He wanted Bhuvi himself, of course, that went without saying. But he wanted Jassi's unfiltered opinion too.

He broached the subject carefully after India lost the 4th ODI. Rohit and Shikhar had put on a 100+ stand after quite a long time, and they were inseparable that evening.

Virat sat beside Jassi at dinner and said casually, "We wouldn't be half the team we are without the two of them."

"Yes," agreed Jassi at once. "Rohit bhaiya and Shikhar bhaiya complement each other so well!"

"Hm... everyone has their favourite partner, of course. I'd call Rohit mine, I'm sure..."

Rohit overheard him and called down the table, "Except when I'm running you out."

Virat grinned. "I'll still call him my favourite partner," he told Jassi.

"Obviously. The whole world fears the two of you together," said Jassi.

"The whole world fears you, too, Jass," said Virat. "D'you have any particular preference for a partner, though?"

"Bhuvi bhaiya, of course," said Jassi without a moment's hesitation.

"You feel more comfortable with him?"

"Without a doubt. I always feel like he was the main person behind my performances in the last year and a half," said Jassi.

Virat's eyes gleamed.

Now he had got the perfect reason for playing Bhuvi in the starting XI of the World Cup 2019.

And Bhuvi-Bumrah, like always, didn't disappoint.

Bhuvi and Bumrah's fast bowlers' date