7

"I loved you with all my heart, but love isn't about holding on when it hurts. Sometimes, the most possessive thing I can do is let you go."

After few days

Abhimanyu sat on the bench in dressing room, checking his bats one by one. His thigh pads were placed neatly beside him. He ran his fingers over the handle of his favorite bat, staring at it as if it held all the answers he needed.

The door creaked open, and one of his teammate rahul walked in. "Are you ready, Captain?" he asked, standing near the door.

"Yes," Abhimanyu replied without looking up, his eyes fixed on the bat in his hands.

Rahul stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he noticed something unusual. "What's with the bandage on your hand?" he asked, pointing toward Abhimanyu's left hand.

Abhimanyu paused, tightening his grip on the bat for a moment. "Oh, it's nothing," he said casually. "I fell down yesterday."

Rahul frowned, not entirely convinced. "Does it hurt?"

Abhimanyu gave a small nod, still avoiding rahul's eyes. "No," he muttered, though the truth was far from that.

Rahul sighed, his concern growing. "Are you sure you can play like this?"

"I'll manage," he said, though even he wasn't sure how he'd pull it off. The truth was, the pain was unbearable. The bandage hid deep cuts from when glass shards had dug into his hand a few days ago. He hadn't told anyone not his teammates, because he didn't want them to worry.

"Abhimanyu," rahul said, his tone soft but serious, "this isn't just about managing. You need to think about the game and yourself. A hand injury can get worse if you push it."

"I know," Abhimanyu admitted quietly, finally looking up at rahul. "But I can't let the team down. They're counting on me. I'll deal with it."

"Alright," rahul said after a moment. "But if the pain gets worse, you let me know immediately. Don't do any stunts, understand?"

Abhimanyu nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I will. Don't worry."

Rahul gave him one last look before walking out, leaving Abhimanyu alone with his thoughts. As the door closed, Abhimanyu exhaled deeply, clutching the bat tighter. He knew it was going to be a tough match not just against the opponent, but against the pain that refused to let him breathe easy.

Abhimanyu turned and walked towards the restroom, his hand throbbing slightly. Closing the door behind him, he began unwrapping the bandage around his hand. The wound was healing, but the intense practice lately had taken a toll. Blood had seeped through the bandage, and the sight of it made him frown.

Carefully, he cleaned the wound. The sting was sharp, and he couldn't help but groan softly in pain. "Damn it," he muttered, reaching for a fresh bandage.

As he pressed it onto the wound, his mind was already racing. "I have to score big today," he said aloud, as if saying it would make it happen. "I need to prove myself. If I can perform well, I'll stay captain for years. Nothing else matters."

He leaned back for a moment, his chest rising and falling as he took a deep breath.

Soon Abhimanyu got to his feet, adjusted the bandage one last time, and straightened his jersey. The pain was still there, but he pushed it aside, focusing on what he needed to do.

He walked down the stairs, heading towards his teammates in the locker room. His hand still throbbed, but he ignored it, focusing instead on the game ahead. Every step he took echoed in the empty hallway.

Just as he reached the final step, someone stepped in front of him, blocking his way. Abhimanyu stopped abruptly and looked up. It was Mr. Rao, one of the selectors, with his arms crossed and smirk on his face. Rao had always been against of Abhimanyu being the new Indian captain.

"How are you, Mr. Abhimanyu Raichand?" Rao asked in a tone dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm good," Abhimanyu replied shortly, keeping his voice neutral. He tried to move past, but Rao didn't budge.

"What do you want now, Mr. Rao?" Abhimanyu asked, his patience wearing thin.

"You know what I want," Rao replied, his smirk widening.

Abhimanyu took a deep breath, refusing to talk. He knew Rao was trying to provoke him, and he wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "I have a match to play now. Move out of my way," he said firmly.

"Go ahead," Rao said, stepping slightly to the side but still staring him down. "Play this match like it's your last day as captain. Because from tomorrow, you won't be the Indian captain anymore."

The words hung in the air, sharp and cutting. Abhimanyu felt his jaw tighten, and his fists clenched. He wanted to defend himself, but he knew better. Anything he said could and would be twisted by Rao to fuel.

Instead, Abhimanyu met Rao's gaze with a cold, angry glare. His silence spoke louder than any words could. Without saying a word, he stepped forward, deliberately brushing against Rao's shoulder as he passed.

Rao turned slightly, watching him walk away with a smug look, but Abhimanyu didn't care.

"Let him say whatever he wants," Abhimanyu thought. "I'll let my bat do the talking today."

He straightened his shoulders as he reached the locker room, pushing Rao's words to the back of his mind. Today wasn't just another match, it was a battle to prove himself, to secure his place.

Abhimanyu sat on the bench in front of his locker, his mind racing as he tried to focus on the upcoming match. The pressure was immense, but he had learned to keep his nerves in check over the years. As part of his routine, he reached for his phone, expecting to find a message or a missed call from Avanthika.

She never failed to send him a message before any match, which includes a big paragraph filled with love and support. Those words had always been his good luck charm, something he looked forward to reading just before stepping onto the field.

But today, his screen was empty. No messages. No calls.

Abhimanyu frowned, scrolling through his notifications just to make sure he hadn't missed anything. Nothing. No "Good luck, Abhi," no "You'll do great today!" The silence from her side felt strange, almost out of place. For a moment, he wondered if something was wrong. Had he done something to upset her? Or was she simply busy?

He stared at the phone for a few more seconds, hoping a notification might pop up, but the screen remained blank. A wave of uneasiness washed over him, but he shook his head. "No time for this now," he muttered under his breath, trying to push the thought aside.

"Abhi, it's time for the toss," one of his teammates called out, standing by the door with his cap in hand.

Abhimanyu looked up, snapping out of his thoughts. "Yeah, coming," he replied, quickly locking his phone.

For a brief second, he hesitated, staring at the blank screen again, almost willing it to light up with her message. But when nothing happened, he sighed, turned the phone off, and placed it inside his locker. He closed the door firmly.

Straightening up, he grabbed his cap and adjusted his jersey. He took a deep breath, trying to refocus on the match ahead. The missing message still lingered at the back of his mind, like an itch he couldn't scratch, but he told himself to let it go. Right now, the team needed him, and he couldn't afford to be distracted.

As he walked out to join his teammates, the roar of the crowd grew louder, pulling him into the moment. Whatever was going on with Avanthika could wait. For now, it was all about the game.

As Abhimanyu walked onto the field for the toss, the entire stadium erupted in cheers. The noise was deafening, but his mind couldn't shake the words Mr. Rao had said earlier. "From tomorrow, you won't be the Indian captain anymore." Those words echoed in his head, adding pressure to his every step.

He walked through the players, his eyes focused ahead, blocking out the crowd, until he reached the spot where the toss was about to take place. The referee stood there, ready with the coin in hand.

The opposition captain called, "Tails."

The referee tossed the coin high into the air. It spun for a moment before landing on the ground with a soft thud.

The referee glanced at the coin and then announced, "It's heads! Team India has won the toss." The stadium buzzed again as everyone turned to Abhimanyu, waiting for his decision.

With his usual calm demeanor, Abhimanyu spoke clearly, "We will bowl first."

The Presenter smiled, holding the microphone. "Abhimanyu, congratulations on winning the toss. You've decided to bowl first? Any particular reason for it?"

"We think the conditions will help the bowlers more in the beginning. We want to take advantage of that." Abhimanyu said looking at the pitch.

"That makes sense. So, how are you feeling heading into this match? There's a lot of talk about your future as captain."

Abhimanyu paused for a moment, then spoke with a calm voice. "Right now, it's all about the game. My focus is on leading the team to a win, and that's all that matters."

"Great! Best of luck today, Abhimanyu. We're all looking forward to the match."

Abhimanyu gave a small nod. "Thanks."

■

The opposition had set a challenging target of 180 runs in their 20 overs, and now it was India's turn to chase the score. But to everyone's surprise, Abhimanyu, who was one of the key players, didn't come out to bat. Instead, he sent other team members ahead of him.

By the end of 10 overs, India was struggling at 90/5, and still, there was no sign of Abhimanyu. The crowd was getting anxious, and there were murmurs everywhere. As they watched the remaining batsmen struggle, Abhimanyu finally made his way to the crease. The tension in the air was palpable as he stepped out with his bat.

He faced the first ball, stood there for a moment, and then let it go. He didn't even attempt to play it. The ball passed by him without any effort, and there was a moment of silence in the stadium. The next ball came, and Abhimanyu did the same thing he just let it go, not even bothering to swing.

The commentators were in complete disbelief. They couldn't understand why a player of Abhimanyu's caliber was behaving like this. One of the commentators said, "We've never seen Abhimanyu play like this before. This is completely out of character for him. He's not even trying to score, just letting the balls go. What's going on?"

The silence in the stadium grew, as fans and players alike tried to figure out what was happening. The pressure was on Abhimanyu, and everyone was waiting for him to show some aggression or at least make an attempt to score. But there he was, standing at the crease, letting every ball go past him.

It was a moment that left everyone confused, unsure of what to make of Abhimanyu's strange approach to the game. Would he turn it around, or was there something deeper behind his unusual behavior? The match had just become even more intriguing.

As Abhimanyu stood there, the tension building up with every delivery, the bowler, sensing an opportunity to get into his head, sledged him. He grinned and said, "What's up? No runs today?" His voice was full of mockery, hoping to rattle Abhimanyu. The crowd was listening, waiting for a reaction.

But Abhimanyu didn't flinch. He just stood still, his eyes locked on the ball. Then, with a sudden swing, he connected. The ball flew high into the air, soaring over the boundary ropes for a huge six. The stadium erupted with cheers, the crowd on its feet, applauding the powerful shot.

However, something wasn't right. As Abhimanyu raised his bat he winced in pain. His hand was numb, and the strength he usually had seemed to have vanished. It was clear that he was struggling with the injury, and now, it was affecting his ability to play.

The next delivery came in, and Abhimanyu, trying to push through the pain, lifted his hand to face it. But as the ball hit his bat, it sent a sharp jolt of pain through his hand. He groaned, his face contorted in discomfort.

The next over arrived, and Abhimanyu, despite the pain, once again raised his bat. He swung with what little strength he had left, and the ball went high into the air. The entire stadium held its breath as the ball seemed to hang in the sky, but the fielder underneath it was ready. He positioned himself perfectly and took a clean catch. Abhimanyu had been out.

The crowd fell silent as Abhimanyu limped off the field, his hand still visibly hurting. The commentators were shocked, unable to believe the game he showed.

■

After Abhimanyu got out, the remaining teammates stepped up. They fought hard, hitting runs and keeping the pressure on. The game turned into a nail-biting finish, but in the end, India managed to win. The stadium erupted in celebration as the team secured the victory, but Abhimanyu was not part of the joyous scene.

Back in the dressing room, Abhimanyu sat alone, his body still aching from the injury. His hands were still numb, but it wasn't the physical pain that bothered him the most, it was the disappointment of his own performance. He had given everything, but it still didn't feel enough.

Just then, Rao, walked in. His face was stern, and there was no warmth in his voice as he spoke. "That's it. You're out of the captaincy now. You didn't play well. You played like a child. What if we had lost today? We would've been in serious trouble. That's it. We are removing you from captaincy."

Rao's words hit Abhimanyu deep in his heart. His heart sank as he tried to process the sharp criticism. Before Abhimanyu could respond, Rao turned and walked out.

Abhimanyu sat there, the weight of everything, the injury, the pressure, the loss of captaincy it was all too much. His anger flared, and without thinking, he grabbed the nearest chair and throwed it across the room. The loud crash echoed in the empty dressing room. But he didn't stop there. He picked up anything he could find water bottles, chairs, even his cap and threw the.

He yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice raw with emotion. "I gave it my all! This is what you get for trying your best?!" His breath came in ragged gasps as the anger consumed him.

His hands trembled, not just from the injury, but from the weight of feeling betrayed. He had always been there for the team, always put them first, but now he was being cast aside. The anger was overwhelming, and it seemed like nothing could calm him down.

Abhimanyu, still seething with anger, left the dressing room and headed straight home. He couldn't bear to be around anyone, least of all his teammates or Rao. When he reached his room, he slammed the door shut and collapsed on the bed. The events of the day, the injury, the criticism, the loss of his captaincy were all too much. He felt like he was drowning in frustration and disappointment.

Just as he sat there, lost in his thoughts, his phone rang, breaking the silence. The caller ID showed it was Avanthika. He stared at it for a moment, but didn't pick up. But before he could decide, the phone rang again.

With a frustrated sigh, he finally answered the call. "Hello," he said, his voice cold and distant.

"Abhimanyu..." Avanthika's voice was soft. She was crying.

Abhimanyu's patience was thin. "What?" he said sharply, not wanting to talk, his mind still consumed by the events of the day.

"I... I... that... that..." she stammered between sobs, unable to finish her sentence.

"Will you just stop crying?" Abhimanyu snapped, his tone laced with anger.

Avanthika flinched at his harsh words, her crying growing louder as she tried to compose herself but couldn't find the words.

"Is there anything you want to tell me, or else I'll hang up the call? I've got a lot of important things to do," he said.

She wiped away her tears, trying to steady her voice. "My parents... they fixed my marriage with the prince of Kashmir. Tomorrow is my engagement, and they've planned the wedding within few days."

Abhimanyu's tone remained detached. "So?"

Avanthika's heart sank at his response. "What do you mean, 'so'? I don't want to marry him. I love you. I can't marry someone else."

Abhimanyu let out a long, exhausted sigh. "So?"

"Abhimanyu, please stop talking like that. You know we love each other, right? You know I love you. How can I let myself marry another guy?" Her voice was filled with desperation, her heart breaking with every word.

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Abhimanyu's is still angry but a part of him was numb. Finally, he spoke, his voice cold and distant. "When is your engagement?"

"Tomorrow," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Alright, all the best," Abhimanyu said, his words flat and emotionless. Without waiting for her to respond, he hung up the call, his hand trembling slightly as he dropped the phone on the bed.

Avanthika sat in silence, the tears still streaming down her face. She had hoped for something, anything from him. But the coldness in his words had shattered her.

A few minutes later, Avanthika called him again. Abhimanyu stared at the screen for a moment before picking it up. Before she could even say a word, he cut her off, his voice cold and bitter.

"Look, Avanthika," he began, his words sharp, "if you like that guy, then go ahead and marry him. Don't ask me for anything. You don't want to be with me, fine. Who else would want to be with someone like me? A loser who can't even save his captaincy."

His words were harsh, and they seemed to come from a place of deep frustration, anger, and hurt.

"Look, Avanthika, you're a royal," he continued, his voice becoming more distant. "You should marry someone from a royal family, not me. So go ahead, live your life. Happy married life. I'll even send you a gift on your wedding day. But now... let me be in my depression, okay? Let me deal with the fact that I just lost my captaincy."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Avanthika was speechless, the sting of his words hitting her like a slap. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. The call ended abruptly as Abhimanyu hung up, not waiting for any response.

Avanthika wiped her eyes, her mind racing. She knew she couldn't let this go, not without trying to fix things. But she also knew that Abhimanyu was in a place where he needed space to process everything. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was pushing her away completely.

"Why?" she whispered to herself, her heart aching.

"Why he talked like this?" she whispered through her tears. "I know he's upset, but why push me away? Why say those things? I love him... I really do. I've always loved him."

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to steady her breathing. "I know he's hurt. He's angry, frustrated... but so am I. This isn't just about his captaincy, is it? It's about everything. It's about the pressure, the expectations... But why does he have to take it out on me? Does he really think I'm the cause of his problems?"

Avanthika let out a shaky breath and glanced at her phone again, as if expecting it to ring, for Abhimanyu to call back, to apologize, to tell her that everything would be okay. But it didn't.

Her heart felt heavy as the realization hit her. "But I love him," she whispered, as if trying to convince herself. "I can't just walk away, even if it hurts."

Suddenly, she heard her friend's cheerful voice echo through the hallway.

"Avanthika! Your engagement and wedding dresses just arrived! Come and check them out!"

She quickly wiped her tears with the back of her hand and forced a small smile. Taking a deep breath, she stood up and opened the door.

As she stepped into the living room, her friend, rushed over to her, holding up a beautifully lehenga. "Look at this! Isn't it stunning? The color suits you perfectly," her freind said.

Avanthika nodded, her voice soft. "It's beautiful."

She reached out for the dress, her fingers trembling slightly as she held it close.

Avanthika reached for her phone, needing a moment of distraction from the whirlwind of emotions. As she unlocked it, a notification popped up from a app.

"Current Indian cricket captain Abhimanyu Raichand's captaincy is at stake? Will he be captain again?"

Her friend took phone away from her hand and told her to focus on dresses. But her mind lingered on the news. Abhimanyu Raichand... His name echoed in her mind like a distant melody she couldn't forget.

To be continued

Ok, firstly before saying anything to abhinanyu's let's just say he lost what he loves the most, captaincy. Ofcourse he is going to be angry but we know how he can be.

Ok then will meet in next chapter with Avanthika's engagement

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