Jinks came back to the dugout, slightly annoyed at the way the ball had kept so low. He should've been careful, after Puji's dismissal too. But strangely enough he didn't feel as bad as a dismissal normally made me feel.

Maybe because India was in a dominant position, but he knew that wasn't it.

"Hard luck," said Virat sympathetically as Jinks sat down beside him.

"Yeah, well..."

Rohit hit a four-- a beautifully timed Rohit Sharma-four.

Virat and Jinks clapped along with the entire dressing room, and they glanced at each other, though they didn't realise why...then.

Rohit and Rishabh played properly and strengthened our hold on the match, and finally Rohit reached his fifty.

Both Virat and Jinks shot to their feet at once, clapping and celebrating wildly. They high-fived each other, and found ourselves laughing.

Then Jinks realised why, and he thought Virat did too.

They both knew how much their Rohit valued Test cricket, and at that point of time, both of them could only wish for his success.

___________

Virat had said quite some time back that he'll declare once they reached 430.

"It's done, Virat," Jaddu reminded him when Rohit and Rishabh took us past that.

"Oh...right," said Virat vaguely "Let's wait for five more runs..." He looked lost in a world of his own.

"It's 435," announced Rahul, who was sitting on Virat's other side, few minutes later.

Virat didn't say anything.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" demanded Ishant.

Jinks glanced at Virat.

He was staring fixedly at something across the ground.

"Hey," Jinks nudged him.

Just then, however, Pant got out.

"Jaddu, you go," said Virat, much to our surprise.

"What's the need, Virat--are you even thinking--" began Puji.

"Please go," pleaded Virat, looking at Jaddu.

He went, but Jinks could almost read the thoughts of their teammates--this man's whims get worse day by day.

And honestly, who could blame them, Jinks thought, but then he realised Virat was still staring in the same direction.

He followed Virat's gaze.

He was looking at the scoreboard.

Jadeja 0 not out

Rohit 63 not out

63 not out, Jinks registered suddenly, which sent a shock through him.

He looked at Virat again, unable to hide a smile at his childish superstitions.

But then, they all know--Rohit and he especially--that Virat had never grown up at all.

Jaddu hit a 4 and managed to get out before Rohit could manage that one damned run, and poor Virat didn't know what to do, Jinks guessed.

"Don't send the pacers down," adviced Ash quietly, sensing that there was something wrong with Virat.

Jinks was sure he was the only one who noticed him involuntarily clenching his fists.

"Give up the superstitions, Virat," he told Virat quietly so that no one else could hear.

Virat turned to me quickly, looking astonished. "You--knew?"

"Of course I knew," said Jinks, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Go and declare, you idiot." He pushed him slightly.

He stood up and as he still looked hesitant, Jinks added, grinning, "We'll protect him from bouncers."

Virat grinned back a little grudgingly. "We'll always have to protect him," he breathed, mostly to himself, but Jinks heard it, and he felt it too.

___________

Virat went and declared, and as Rohit and Jaddu came back, he patted Rohit on the back, not quite meeting his eyes.

Rohit looked surprised, but didn't say anything and came to the dressing room.

Of course everyone was shaking his hand or patting his back, because Jinks could see how pleased every person of their gang-- Ash, Bhuvi, Jaddu, Bumrah, Shami, Puji--were, and as Jinks shook his hand and they grinned at each other, Jinks didn't know what came over him, but he grabbed Rohit and hugged him hard.

Rohit's eyes twinkled with amusement as he hugged him back, and Jinks felt that inexplicable surge of affection towards him. He had to resist the urge to hug Rohit again, because that would've looked plain weird, and he tried his best but couldn't suppress the feeling of gladness that he wouldn't have to face any bouncers anytime soon.

Of course, during the innings break, Rohit couldn't help noticing that Virat was pretty much ignoring him.

As we were walking out to the field, he fell in step with Virat and and asked quietly, "Have I offended you in any way?"

Virat turned to look at him. "Heavens, no!" he cried, looking quite horrified. "I just--" Virat didn't find the right words, of course, so he did the same thing as Jinks did, and hugged Rohit.

By now, Rohit was looking really suspicious, especially as he saw Jinks watching them and grinning.

"I don't know what has come over you and Jinks today," he said darkly, but they could sense the note of amusement in his voice.

Of course, they wouldn't tell him.

"Nothing--Dad," laughed Virat (he never would stop teasing Rohit about being a father soon) and jogged off to the field swiftly, with a grumbling Rohit following.