A/N: Don't get me wrong I love IPL but I'll always rank Intl over IPL anyday, but these Lockdown cricket fans who only watch IPL think they know everything about the ICT and spew bs. No offense to anyone who's reading this book who started watching cricket after lockdown, but I'm not saying all Lockdown fans, just some of them.

Virat was scrolling on Twitter after that absolute bottle job match against DC in his hometown and to make his sour mood even worse, he came across this tweet. He had heard all about Pathirana and Mahi bhai's mentor mentee relationship, hell he had seen it first hand. Of course it hadn't bothered him as much as it had bothered Ro, it really didn't. 

Mahi bhai always was warm and welcoming to newbies, he himself was in Pathirana's place once, 19 year old starry eyed kid making his debut for the Indian team. He made him feel at home almost immediately, sat by his side after his dreadful debut, encouraged him when he was down, cheered the loudest when he scored his maiden century. So many uncountable moments he had with his Mahi bhai, so he understood why the kid was chipkuing to his Mahi bhai. It really, honest to god didn't bother him. But this tweet, it dug up all the insecurities he hid behind smiles and laughs and wordy captions on Instagram.

Who was she to say that MahiRana was much better than MahiRat, they've only been playing together for 2 seasons. He's played for over a decade under his Mahi bhai, even when he was captain Mahi bhai was the one guiding him. Mahi bhai was his big brother first and then Pathirana's! It really didn't help matters that Jaddu was spamming him with dressing room pictures of Pathirana sticking close to Mahi bhai and apparently even Faf was being spammed with pictures of Rutu and Devon , if Faf's curses directed at Jaddu were anything to go by at the dinner table.

He got another picture from Jaddu.(Jaddu who was cackling like a nut in the CSK team room.)

Now the jealousy set in, why was Mahi bhai holding that kid like that? How long it had been since his Mahi bhai held him like that. He wanted to call his Mahi bhai and talk to him now. No. He's mad at him, 

'I won't call him. Let him only call, mei kyu call karu use?'

Faf and Maxi barged into his room without knocking as usual, Maxi fell back onto his bed hands spread out as Faf sat to Max's left, he noticed Faffy was busy glaring at his phone, he shortly asked, "Jad?"

"Jad." Faf nodded with a curt nod. They both put their phones on silent and threw them onto the bedside table none too gently. Vi sighed and said,

"I'm sorry, I screwed up. I should have tried to speed up in the PP itself but I slowed you down as well."

"Don't Viri, it wasn't the worst but wasn't your best either, it's just we don't know what role each of us have anymore. Anchor, aggressor or finisher" Faf fell back onto the bed head resting on Maxi's upper arm and Vi fell back in much the same position.

"I should have been more careful as well boys. What can we do about the middle order now?" Maxi sighed, all three having various degrees of guilt. While these three were busy talking about their team, Vi's phone rang 5 times. 5 missed calls from a certain skipper who knew he had to talk to his kid and make him feel better, he had already pacified one kid after the loss but the other one was a little hard to do so. 

*****

Mahi bhai was surprised that his Cheeks didn't answer the phone, he knew by now that their dressing room video was already doing rounds on the internet. Watching the older, mature Cheeku smashing the bowlers for fun, but he also saw as he struggled a little against spin and chose to give strike to Faf. 

He was telling the juniors who were looking intently at the TV when Virat was on strike, "Virat...Virat doesn't play the first ball like this. It is always here." He mimed how Virat holds the bat and his technique as the kids watched intrigued. He knew it was game over when Faf got out and Maxi fell after him, he knew instantly his kiddo was trying to stay calm, he watched as Mahipal and Virat built a partnership and then Virat got out on a fumbled catch. Vi's distraught face after the game tugged at Mahi bhai's heart, he wanted to grab the kid and hug him tight, hug him so hard the words of those faceless people would never hurt his Cheeku again.

Jaddu looked awfully smug and Mahi bhai walked to him and smacked his head from behind, 

"Oww! Meine aapki kya bigaada bhai?"

"What did you tell Cheeku Jaddu? Phone nahi uta raha hei. Truth now!"

Rutu laughed looking at Jaddu's sheepish face and then got nervous when he looked at that smug grin Jaddu directed his way,

"Ohh Rutu why don't you call your Faffy, my Veer's new best friend by the way, I'm sure he'll be waiting to call and talk to you."

"Jaddu bhaiyaa what did you do?"

"Oh I just sent them both some pictures. Some of Mahi bhai with Pathirana and you and Devon."

"JADDU!" They both screamed at the clown, Mahi bhai smacked him again, no wonder his kid wasn't answering the phone.

*****

Siraj walked into Vi's room excitedly and shoved his phone into Virat's hand and said,

"Bhai dekho dekho!"

And all three of them sat up straight and peeked into the phone, they heard Mahi bhai's voice filled with pride talking about Virat's technique and miming his action. Virat felt all warm inside and that jealous, vindictive kid part of him accidentally said it out loud,

 "Ha! See my Mahi bhai still knows me better than anyone! MahiRat >> MahiRana" 

Siraj ran back out when he heard Sid Kaul and Parney call for him with his phone and Faf laughed looking at his adorable puffed out face of Vi's, he knew better than anyone just how close Virat was with MS, he had seen how he'd just sink into Mahi bhai's hugs. Virat reached over and took his phone and was surprised to see 5 missed calls from Mahi bhai and he excitedly told his other two besties on the bed, but then he wanted to pretend like he was truly mad at Mahi bhai, so he called him back. 

"Cheeku?"

"I'm not talking to you!"

"You called me back so..."

"I didn't want to be rude." Mahi bhai could picture Vi puffing his cheeks out looking every bit the child he is.

"Accha baba okay, I'll hang up then?"

"Bhaiii! Aap to pacify bhi nahi kar rahe ho! You go chipku to your new kid, you don't even love me anymore"

"Accha? Haven't you watched our dressing room video?"

"Maybe?....But that's just you talking about my technique, you're just the only one who doesn't consider this "statpadding" or what the fuck ever."

He got twin glares from Maxi and Faf which was ignored by him,

"Language! And since when do you listen to what people have to say about your strike rates? Wo sab chod. Shouldn't you know by now nobody can ever replace you in my life? You and Ro will always always be my first kids, everyone else are secondary. Like how you are with your Miyaan is how I am with Pathirana. Naya hei, baccha hei wo, encourage tho karna hei use."

"But you never calmed down when I asked you to calm down on the field, instead you used to glare at me but now this kid asks you to calm down and you nod and become so calm. And worse of all the CSK fans are all saying MahiRana is much better than MahiRat."

"Oh and you'll believe what they say?"

"Yes! Because this kid is your match winner and me? I was the reason we lost so many games. So yes bhai I will be a bit insecure, I will get jealous of the newbie kid, because when you inevitably do go to the finals, it'll be this kid and Deshpande who'll win you the trophy. Again. And I couldn't win you one thing."

"Cheeku! How long have you been thinking all this?"

"Leave bhai. Promise me you'll spend all your time with me after we come back from England, Miyaan and I will be leaving early, Joshy as well- right Max?" Virat asked Maxi who couldn't even deny the possibility of them going to playoffs was very very minute, and he nodded,

"Ahh anyway, as soon as we're done with it and come back to India, you'll spend a day with me and just me, then you can spend like half a day with Ro because wo Panda wapas aane par do theen din jet lag ke wajah se sojayega, And then you'll spend 2 or 3 days with both of us. Just the three of us. No kids at all."

"Maxi and Faf are in your room?"

"Bhai! Confirmation needed now!"

"Okay baba I'll spend time with both of you. Promise! But have hope baccha you might qualify as well. You never know how and when the tides turn in your favor. Be strong, don't let those trolls affect you. You play your game the way you want to, you know your team condition better than anyone. And about you not winning me anyhting...we'll talk about that face to face, can't do this over the phone."

Vi felt much lighter and much better after talking to his Mahi bhai, in the background he heard Rutu whine, "Bhai aapki hogayi tho tell Virat bhaiyaa to give the phone to Faf."

Virat laughed and said, "Bhai phone Rutu ko do, Faffy ko mei phone dedunga."

Faf took the phone with a raised eye brow(A/N: How is he so hot at the age of 38 ohmygodimeltwhenhesmiles) 

"Rutu! Hi!"

Virat fell back onto the bed and Maxi gave a tight hug to him, they've both been through this phase of IPL before they'll get through this as well, together, always and forever.

A/N: So ik this isn't all Mahirat as such, but I had seen this tweet and Sunday was a doubleheader day, CSK in the afternoon and RCB in the evening and after that absolute clownery of a match I saw this tweet and my blood boiled. One more thing people are feeling bad for Faf and Maxi after the MI match, dude, where was this sympathy when Virat's done this years ago and he's done it so many times, he's got the most number of high scores in lost causes, speaks volumes about this clown management. 

Anywho, I haven't beta read this chapter, so pretty please ignore any mistakes from my side. You know the drill, read, comment, enjoy.

But these pictures ❤️❤️❤️

And oh my god this cold af picture of Faf