After his raucous video call with his team (read: family) ended at 1:30, with lots of virtual cake cutting and smearing and balloon bursting, a celebration which would be better suited to Sam than him, seeing that he was turning 33, Rohit sat down to take a breather.

God, his team. Their rowdiness was making him feel quite tired, really. And he was sleepy. They always chose the times he would be sleepy for their especial tomfoolery.

As he was dozing off on the sofa, his phone beeped twice in quick succession.

One was from Hardik. The sticker of a waving grizzly bear.

Rohit rolled his eyes.

Where did he even get these from?

The other was from Jassi.

"Rohit bhaiya, I hate this COVID-19 for forcing a break in our series. but I'm sending you the picture anyway, you can print it and hang it on your wall? I'll frame it for you later.

Love you, Jassi"

The photo was a poster about 'Save giraffes'. It was the 6th in their series of Jassi's similar birthday gifts to him, starting from 2015. He hadn't missed a single year, of course, being the meticulous person he was. And his birthday anyway came during the IPL.

His phone beeped again.

A sleeping panda sticker from Hardik.

"Thanks Jass, I'm printing it right now," he replied to Jassi.

"You moron," he typed to Hardik.

Heart emoji from Jassi.

Crying emoji from Hardik.

Rohit looked at his phone and found himself smiling.

The two...

He still remembered the early days of IPL 2015 so well...

_______________

When Jassi was bought by MI before IPL 2015, he felt apprehension mingled with jubilation. His Gujarat teammates had told him all they had heard about the Indian national team seniors, and how strict and powerful they were. His captain was supposed to be one of them.

There was another new player from Gujarat, whom Jassi didn't know from before in spite of being from the same state, because he hadn't played first class. Maybe he could make friends with him; then he might not have to mingle much with the seniors after all.

The team was assembled in Mumbai a week before IPL began, and as Jassi soon saw, Hardik Pandya could not possibly become his friend ever.

His first glimpse of the guy was when he entered the hotel lobby.

He was sitting in a very bro-like manner with Keiron Pollard (whom Jassi found intimidating, too; to tell the truth he found everyone intimidating, but the big West Indian especially so). Hardik was showing off the tattoo in his arm to Pollard, and Pollard made a slightly lewd comment, and then they were both laughing uproariously.

Jassi sank a little more into himself. Not an inviting atmosphere at all.

After a while, the captain Rohit Sharma entered. He greeted a few of his friends, grinning and patting them on the back. Then he said, raising his voice a little, "We welcome you all into the Mumbai Indians family."

He didn't look or sound ferocious, thought Jassi uneasily.

Hardik jumped up immediately, bounding over to Rohit and saying, "I'm Hardik Pandya, captain. Your new teammate."

God, how could anyone be so cocksure of himself? Jassi waited to see Rohit's reaction.

Rohit grinned widely and shook Hardik's hand. "So I've heard."

Hardik was beaming. Rohit was beaming. What was wrong with everyone?

Then Rohit looked around and saw Jassi.

"Jasprit?" he said.

"Y-yes," Jassi managed.

"Welcome here. I promise you'll soon start to love this team," said Rohit warmly.

Jassi blinked rapidly, scanning his brains for something to say. Anything to say. But the only things making rounds in his brain was, this man scored ODI's first 250 last year. This man came back from the World Cup after losing the semi final few weeks ago. He was one of the best limited overs batsman in the world. He was an indispensable member of the Indian Cricket Team.

And Jassi, himself, was nothing.

Rohit seemed to see that Jassi was tongue tied, so he rescued him the bother of saying anything by smiling at him and then moving on to welcoming one of the other new members; a foreigner.

Hardik was hanging around the Mumbai Indians core group like he had always been here.

Jassi wondered if getting selected in a big team like this was a blessing or a curse.

_________________

The next morning Jassi went to the field for practice without having breakfast, he was so scared he might be late. As it turned out, he was the first person to turn up; though it was already 8:50, and the practice session was scheduled at 9.

Slowly the entire team arrived in twos or threes, seeming very relaxed and carefree.

It was all right for them, Jassi told himself. They had made a name for themselves, they could slack a little.

He definitely couldn't.

Around 9:15, everyone was waiting for the coaches to arrive, and unexpectedly, Hardik made a beeline for him.

"What's up, mate?" asked Hardik boisterously.

"All good," mumbled Jassi, not bothering to look at him.

Hardik clearly didn't take the hint that he wasn't interested in talking to him.

"What's your role in this team?" demanded Hardik.

"Fast bowler," said Jassi shortly.

"Just fast bowler?" said Hardik.

Jassi glared at the ground. He knew Hardik was an all-rounder, but that sure as hell didn't mean he should put so much contempt into the word just.

"You should say you'll be the best fast bowler in the team!" said Hardik. "Like I'm gonna be the best all-rounder."

Ok, so maybe he hadn't been contemptuous at him being just a fast bolwer, admitted Jassi to himself. But this arrogance, this over-confidence...it had never really appealed to Jassi.

"Nice to know you'll be the best all rounder in the team," Jassi told Hardik. "I don't know about me being the best before I've even played a single match, though, thanks."

Hardik laughed. Jassi's frown returned. He hadn't meant it to be funny; he had meant it to be cutting.

He wished Hardik would leave him alone.

_________________

During the first practice session of the season, Rohit was observing the two new Indian recruits; Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.

Hardik was blabbering on about something; boasting by the looks of it. Jasprit spoke veery less, occasionally throwing annoyed glances at the former.

Rohit went over to them to see a glimpse at their playing styles.

"Hi, you two," he said.

"Hi Rohit!" said Hardik at once, seeming delighted to see him; Rohit could only wonder why. But he was starting to like this guy's unwavering cheerfulness.

Jasprit stared at the ground and mumbled, "Hi, Rohit bhaiya."

What was he so nervous about? Rohit was inclined to tell him that he wouldn't eat him, but that was the sort of thing Virat might do, he reminded himself. He liked to think he was a lot mature than his best friend.

Hardik and Jasprit were of the exact same age, as far as Rohit knew; give and take a month or two. And the fact that one of them called him 'Rohit' and the other 'Rohit bhaiya' spoke rather a lot of their contrasting natures.

"Show me your bowling action?" said Rohit. "Jas--"

"I'll go first, captain!" yelled Hardik, much in the way kids of third grade did when they knew the answer to a question and wanted to show off in front his friends.

"Sure," said Rohit with twinkling eyes. He noticed Jasprit throwing him a slightly disgusted glance.

For some reason this reminded him of Bhuvi and Jaddu, the first time when Bhuvi came into the team and Jaddu was also fairly new. Bhuvi used to give this same judging expression at Jaddu when latter was carrying out a stupid prank or boasting about his beloved Jamnagar.

Rohit didn't know why he felt like these two were meant to be friends. They just had to be. There was no other alternative to it.

______________

Jasprit was always the first one to arrive on the field for practice. He worked the hardest and spoke the least, his concentration was unwavering. Hardik, on the other hand, slipped into the easy ways of the team from the very first day, bantering with everyone irrespective of them being senior and junior, always with that big grin on his face.

It had been three days, and Jasprit still stammered when he spoke to him, thought Rohit, feeling slightly worried. So much underconfidence could not be good for him. Rohit found himself wondering of all the ways he could make Jasprit understand that the seniors were also just cricketers like him.

He remembered how terrified he had been, himself, when he first entered the Indian national team. Mahi bhai had been the one of pull him into the team from the heart...and today Mahi bhai was so, so close to him. The elder brother he never had. The ideal guardian figure of their team.

Rohit knew that he had to be the same to the kids in his team.

_______________

The next morning, unexpectedly, Jasprit arrived at practice 10 minutes late. He was looking fairly terrified as he slunk in, trying to appear invisible.

Rohit jogged over to him, determined to make him comfortable.

Jasprit looked even more scared to see the captain approaching him.

To put him at ease, Rohit said light-heartedly, "How'll you enter the national team if you come late like this?"

Jasprit shrank back.

"I'm sorry...I'm very sorry, Rohit bhaiya...I'll never be..."

Shit, the kid had taken him seriously, thought Rohit, dismayed. What would Mahi bhai do here? What would he...? Oh yeah, give him a nickname...

"Jassi...Jassi..." said Rohit, without having to think of the nickname. "It's ok, I was just joking!"

Jassi blinked again. Jassi always blinked when he was nervous...there, he was already learning things about the kids.

"You're hardly ten minutes late," said Rohit assuringly. "And if being punctual mattered while getting into the national team, then I, at least, would never have got there."

Rohit was gratified to see Jassi smiling a little. It gave him the confidence to add, "Also, you need to chill a little. Why are you always so frightened?"

Jassi looked to be debating about what to say.

"Ok, you don't have to answer that," said Rohit, grinning. "Everyone feels nervous when they come into a big team, till you realize that some of your seniors are more like your big brothers. Everyone except Hardik, that is."

Jassi's smile vanished.

"You do know you're judging Hardik unfairly, right?" said Rohit.

"Rohit bhaiya, I'm not judging him!" said Jassi defensively.

At least he spoke without stammering or hesitating, thought Rohit, considering it a big achievement.

"So try being around him a little," suggested Rohit. "Because I'm going to make a prediction, subject to market risks. You two will be playing together for quite some time to come."

Jassi stared after him in silence as Rohit walked away for the dramatic effect.

_________________

As the IPL started, Rohit deliberately began arranging for Hardik and Jassi's seats on the flights and rooms in the hotels to be adjacent every time.

They were both good players, considering they were uncapped and so new.

Jassi still kept mostly to himself, except that he had started seeing Rohit bhaiya like an elder brother. He was so warm and there that he couldn't help it. After every match, Rohit made it a point to go up to Jassi and talk to him.

"Your death bowling is improving day by day, Jass. Impossibly good yorkers."

"Oh!...Thank you, Rohit bhaiya."

Hardik had taken to Rohit immensely too.

"Wasn't that shot off Narine in the last over good, Rohit? Wasn't it?"

"Yes, Harry...I already told you it was, now shut up for five minutes please!"

Their ridiculous contrast fascinated Rohit as much as it amused him.

He found Hardik striding beside Jassi while returning from the pool one day.

"It was the third time I winked at her and she was still pretending to ignore me...and then...and THEN, when I was leaving with Krunal, she found an excuse to...."

Jassi was trying not to laugh and failing; he definitely seemed to be tolerating Hardik a lot better. Rohit guessed that persistence like Harry's always won out.

______________

Jassi was surprised, almost horrified to find himself seeking out Hardik as Rohit bhaiya's birthday was approaching. He entered Hardik's room and found him watching a Hollywood movie.

"Hey," said Jassi.

"Kindly don't disturb me, I'm at the scene where the hero..." began Hardik dramatically.

Jassi went and snapped his laptop shut. "I know very well how much of the dialogues you understand, even with the subtitles!"

"THAT'S SO CRUE--" Hardik began howling.

"Hardik!" said Jassi. "It's Rohit bhaiya's birthday day after tomorrow. What should we do?"

Hardik stopped howling and stared. "I didn't know that!"

"You mean you forgot," said Jassi scathingly. "Good for you I came to tell you!"

Hardik threw his arms around him violently. "Thanks so much, what would I do ever without you?"

Jassi happened to know that Hardik would say his line to just about anyone, so he pushed him away and tried not to feel pleased.

"Rohit bhaiya is an animal activist. I think a save rhino poster would be great," mused Jassi.

"So boring," whined Hardik. "Like who wants to think of rhinos on their birthday?"

"Rohit bhaiya," said Jassi severely.

"I have an idea, I have an idea!"

"What?"

"We'll give different gifts and ask Rohit who's is better!" said Hardik, with the air of presenting a very good idea, and Jassi certainly didn't think this one was. "Ok?"

"Ok," conceded Jassi, because what was the use of trying to talk Hardik out of something when he got it into his head?

_______________

Jassi procured an artistically framed 'Save Rhino' poster. Hardik, after hours of planning, came up with a bag of edible insects gummies.

After the cake cutting ceremony at midnight, Jassi and Hardik hung back in Rohit's room.

"Happy birthday, bhaiya," said Jassi, handing over his gift.

"Thanks, kid," said Rohit, starting to open the wrapping enthusiastically.

That was when Hardik realized he'd left his gift in his room.

"Wait for me, Ro," he wailed, bolting out of the door.

Jassi shook his head at his antics, and Rohit could clearly see the fondness in that gesture.

He had succeeded!!

Hardik came back and said, "Want to eat one of these?"

Rohit stared in disbelief at the packet illustrating all sorts of creepy insects and gagged. "Definitely not! No chance!"

"They're edible..." whined Hardik. "I got them specially for you!" He was beginning to resort to emotional blackmail now, because there was no way Rohit would choose his gift as better.

"Whose was better, Rohit bhaiya?" asked Jassi slyly.

"Wasn't mine better, Ro?" appealed Hardik.

"You moron, Harry," said Rohit, putting an arm around the smirking Jassi and ruffling Hardik's hair with the other one.

________________

5 years later, thinking back about those days, Rohit went to sleep smiling.

His brothers were still the same. They still loved him the same. And they still loved each other the same.

Or maybe more.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT OF MY LIFE. I WOULD NOT TRADE YOU FOR THE WORLD