Soon after, in June 2016, Anil Kumble was appointed head coach of India.

He was an extremely strict disciplinarian, and it did not go down well with the rest of the team.

The light hearted fun and banter of the team reduced significantly with his grim presence among them, and it wasn't a change they cherished.

____________

Virat woke up at his phone ringing on the bedside table. Sleepily he took it up, and saw the words 'Anil sir' flashing on it. Rolling his eyes, he received the call.

"Virat?" said their coach. "Round up the others and meet me in the field in fifteen minutes."

Virat had barely replied when the call was cut. He groaned when he saw the time--4:50. It had been 5 yesterday, and 5:30 last week. Wondering how long it'll take the coach to order them to not sleep at all, but practice all night, Virat dragged himself out of the bed.

While dressing, he called Jadeja.

"What?" came Jaddu's groggy voice.

"Coach told us to be in the field in 15 minutes," said Virat gloomily.

Jaddu groaned. "I ain't going. It's not even five."

"I know, right? But help me call the others, please, Jaddu. Wake all of them on your floor and I'll do my floor."

"All right," said Jaddu, yawning.

In a few minutes, the team was assembled on the third floor. Mahi bhai was the only one who looked properly awake, though he looked tired. Bhuvi looked like he might drop off any moment. Everyone looked thoroughly disgruntled.

"Are we all here, then?" asked the captain.

"Rohit isn't," said Jinks wearily.

Virat's eyes flashed. "That man...he's going to be the death of us. Didn't you call him, Jaddu?"

"I did, but he didn't respond to my banging, and his phone is switched off."

Virat stalked up to his door and banged with all his might. Ash, Bhuvi and Jinks exchanged a look and they too went to help their poor captain.

"WAKE UP, ROHIT!" they yelled at the top of their voices, but there was absolutely no answer from inside.

"I swear I'm going to kill him one day," said Virat, his face going red with annoyance. "How can anyone be so lazy?"

"Thought you might need this," said Jadeja quietly, holding up a key. "I sneaked Rohit's master key last night."

Virat looked like he could kiss Jaddu as he said, "Why didn't you give this earlier?"

"I just remembered. Aren't I extremely masterful and clever?" demanded Jaddu.

"Yeah, right," snorted Ash.

Virat entered the room with Ash, Jaddu, Jinks and Bhuvi following.

They entered the room. Rohit was fast asleep. Virat went and shook him roughly.

"Wake up, you idiot, Kumble wants us on the field..." Right on cue, Virat's phone rang.

"It's him again," groaned Virat.

"Yes sir, we're just coming," he said into the phone. "Ash, tell the rest of them to go." Ashwin nodded and left.

"Rohit, do get up," begged Jinks, and Bhuvi mildly tried to shake him a little.

"Go away," said Rohit groggily. "Can't a body sleep in peace these days?

"Not when they've got Kumble as their coach," said Virat, very sensibly, they thought.

Jaddu sneakily crept up beside them with a glass of water. He winked at Jinks, and before the horrified Jinks could protest, he emptied the glass on Rohit's head.

"Don't, Jaddu--" Bhuvi cried, but it was too late.

Rohit yelled and jumped out to the bed.

"You wretch--what did you do that for?" he demanded furiously, trying to shake the water out of his ears.

Virat grabbed his arm, threw his jersey at him and pushed him towards the bathroom.

"Go and get dressed this moment," he said menacingly.

"I have a few more tricks up my sleeve!" called Jaddu after him. "Want to try them?"

____________

As the five of them entered the field, Kumble greeted them with a cold, "You're late."

A minute ago, Virat had been annoyed with Rohit, but at Kumble's tone, his mood changed.

He glanced at the watch pointedly. "Late? It's only five twenty."

"I told you to be here by five past five."

"So?" said Virat, his temper rising. "It's barely past sunrise! It's a good three hours before any other team would have thought of practising!"

"Don't be too sure about that, Virat," said Jaddu, his lips twitching. "Maybe they did think about it, but just couldn't get it to materialize..."

Everyone snorted at this typical stupid Jadeja dialogue, as Kumble levelled his glare on the offender. But Jaddu had done his job--Virat's temper had died down.

"Sir, it was my fault," said Rohit apologetically. "Virat, Jinks and Bhuvi were trying to wake me. I don't know where Jaddu was, though. Must've been fooling around somewhere."

"Jaddu was with us, too," said Jinks hastily.

"To remain a regular in the national cricket team, Rohit Sharma, you need to have a certain level of discipline, which you sadly seem to lack," said the coach, ignoring Rahane. "Take five laps around the field. The rest of you, follow me." He walked off.

"Five laps? Seriously?" muttered Rohit.

"Serves you right for that lie!" said Jadeja, grinning wickedly.

"Best of luck," said Jinks sympathetically as Rohit went away huffily.