Dec 2007...

It had been 8 months since Suresh Raina had been out of Indian cricket team due to injury. He was one of those guys who made his impact on the team in a very short time. I just one year after his debut he was a permanent member of the squad, surely 15 if not 11. 

For a Kashmiri young boy whose family had to shift overnight after being attacked by a mob, who have been bullied to the extreme when he was just a teenager, who had to borrow a bat from players who got out because he can't afford his own bat, who had to lie to his mother that he is happy when he is has been beaten and locked up in room whole night, Life hadn't been anything less than blissful after his international debut.

He has got terrific friends, caring seniors, and financial stability(a middle-class person would, of course, know its importance). He happily took a house on loan as he knows, he is gonna play and pay it off. 

But life, as usual, wasn't easy for him. They say life throws its toughest problem at the strongest person and who can stronger than Suresh Raina. He had an injury in his knee, back and shoulder. They didn't seem much when he was dropped. He thought he would do rehab and get back.

But things got worse, his injuries got extravagated. without playing and with a loan to pay, his savings didn't last long and treatment expenses are too high for him. He kept on writing letters to BCCI asking help for his treatment but never received any response.

With every passing day, Raina got more and more frustrated. He at a point thought that he would never play for India again. He used to talk a lot with MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid and his other non-cricketer friends. That helped too, they always manage to motivate him and made him believe that things will get back to normal. 

But he never told them about the delay in treatment due to lack of money. Well, he just couldn't ask them money. How can he? they just know him for less than a year. Just because they are nice to him, how can he go and ask such a huge amount of money? that too when he is not sure if he would ever be able to repay it.

In this frustration, he did the most stupid thing in life. He went on to play a local match ignoring his injury. He dived and took an amazing catch before he collapsed on the floor holding his knee in pain. 

The result was horrible. His knee becomes so worse that he had to be complete on the bed for a month. Even after that, his knee was never the same. he couldn't walk without limping. The irony, India's best fielder can't even walk. 

What hurt Raina the most was his crying mother begging him to leave cricket because, for her, her son's life is the most important thing. And he obeyed. he stayed home mending his injuries, not that he had an any better option.

He slowly reduced calling Dravid, Dhoni or any other cricketing contacts for 2 reasons. 1) it hurts to talk about cricket when he knows he can never play. 2) They all were in the worst phase of there life with 2007 disastrous loss and things that happened aftermath. He can't trouble them more with his worries.

A month later he surprisingly got a call from Dilip Vasankar, who was national selector, saying he had noticed Raina in that local match and BCCI agreed to sponsor his treatment and he had to come to Mumbai for proper check-up and treatment in a week.

Though Raina was too happy, there were the missing pieces. why would BCCI respond all of a sudden after ignoring his letter's for all these months? Nevertheless, he made preparations to go to Mumbai on the said date.

Indian cricket camp, Mumbai.

Rahul Dravid was getting ready for practice when his phone started ringing. He took it out to keep it in silent be before he leaves as he might get late for the practice. but he decided to attend the call as he saw the phone flashing 'Sonu'. He knew Raina is in Mumbai for treatment, there can be some emergency.

"Hello, Sonu" Rahul spoke only to hear the sniff from another end.

"Sonu? You ok?" Rahul asked again. Sobbing increased sacring him.

"Sonu? What happened kiddo? Why are you crying so much?" Rahul asked anxiously but no answer. 

"Sonu? Sonu, stop crying baba... Please. " Rahul spoke helplessly. 

"I... I... I'm in Mumbai... I came to the hospital." Sonu managed to utter in between his sobs.

"Ha baba... I know that... But why are you crying so much? what did the doctor say?" Rahul asked making sonu cry even more. 

"Bhai... Can you come?" Sonu sobbed.

"Ha... Baba... I'm coming... Stop crying, please. Everything will be fine. We will make everything fine. Just don't cry so much. Please sonu... mera brave bacha hai na. please." Rahul tried to coax.

"Ok... I'm not crying... You... You just come." Sonu spoke still crying.

Dravid rashed out cutting in the call. He can't sit here and talk. He has to know what the doctor said before he thinks what to do next and first of all, he has to be with his little brother

Seeing MS going to the bus with his kit bag near the stairs, Dravid rushed to him as he called him out aloud.

"Ha, bhai?" MS asked half sleepy. He hates these morning training sessions.

"Mahi...I... I have to go out...Practise ..Umm... I will practise later. Woh... actually It's important that I go... So" Rahul informed remembering the tantrum MS has thrown last time when he has put it in the form of permission.

"Ha... Bhai... App... You look worried. Everything is fine right? Should I come with you?" MS asked confused and concerned.

"Are... Nahi. It's ok. I will manage." Rahul assured. MS nodded confused, still looking worried It doesn't look ok though. 

"I will tell you after coming back mahi. Everything is fine... Really." Rahul said patting Mahi's back. It's not like Rahul want to hide but it's just that he himself doesn't know the matter exactly and he doesn't want Mahi to worry with incomplete information. That kid already has enough in his plate as he just took over the captaincy.

"Bhai...Call me, if needed." MS said nodding. 

"No... actually, call to Yuvi's number... I will keep his phone with me only today." MS added as he realised he didn't know where exactly his phone is. Maybe in the suitcase or under the bed.

Rahul mumbled 'ok'  as he slightly hit on Mahi's head smiling before he rushed out to Sonu's hotel.

*********

Raina jumped on Dravid as soon as he entered Sonu's room in the hotel, hugging him tightly with his head buried in Rahul's shoulder as he cried. 

"Sonu... kiddo... What happened? what did the doctor say? We can second opinion kiddo. See all of us got injuries kiddo and we all got back, Even you will kiddo... I promise you will... Isse nahi rothe hai... my brave sonu hai na.. please calm down." Dravid coaxed.

Raina just hugged more tightly as if he wants to hide in his Bhai's arms.

"Sonu... Sonu chup... Ek dam chup" Rahul said a bit sternly pushing him a bit back and whipping his tears as sonu didn't stop crying after 2 minutes.

"Sonu... I said chup." Dravid repeated sternly.

Sonu looked at him teary puppy eyes as he tried not to sob.

"Now drink this," Rahul ordered passing a glass of water. Sonu obeyed like a good boy.

"Now tell me. What did the doctor say?" Rahul asked holding his hands. Raina started tearing up again.

"Nahi... Rona Nahi... First, tell me what did the doctor say?" Rahul spoke sternly again.

"He said... My back will be fine with medicines and physio. Shoulder surgery can be done here and knee surgery, I...I have to go to South Africa." sonu informed.

"He... He said I can again play in 4 to 5 months." He added tearing up and hugged Dravid again. Trying not to cry again.

It took a few seconds for Rahul to comprehend what Raina said.

"Ha? Tho? Sonu isn't it a great news bubba? why are you crying so much kiddo? We will get the surgery done and you will be back" Rahul said as he held sonu.

"I... I thought I would never be able to play again" Sonu murmured trying to control his emotions as he buried his face more into Rahul's chest.

Rahul held him wondering what all this little boy might have gone throw. He wishes he had probed into the matter before. probably if he kept the complete check on treatment process maybe thing would have been better.

"Shh Sonu... what did I tell you when you were injured just before WC selection?" Rahul asked.

 "That...That I will play many more WC's." Sonu answered.

"Then? You are too precious too loss kiddo... You will play and play with glory" Rahul said in a confident voice. Sonu snuggle a bit more(If possible)

"Itna kon rotha hai Sonu? You will give me a heart attack one day." Rahul signed playing with Sonu's hair.

"I wanted you with me," Sonu whispered.
 
"But you see, there is an option of calling me without crying." Rahul signed.

"Bhaiiii..." Sonu called ignoring Rahul's comment.

"Thank you" He added looking up from his chest.

"Sonu, It's nothing. I..." Rahul started assuming sonu is thanking him for coming.

"I know you did something... I was writing to BCCI for the past one year, Never got any response and suddenly now... And also I never told you about coming to Mumbai for treatment, you still know... Dilip bhai told you na? I'm sure you did something...You always do. Thank you. I...I will make you proud... Promise." Sonu said honestly cutting off Rahul.

"hmm..." Rahul said not knowing what to say. he was surprised by Sonu's confidence.

"BCCI is a brainless donkey," he added.

"Ha... But what will they do? there will be many players like me na?" Sonu defended them sadly.

"So? It is their responsibility to take care of everyone. And stop defending everyone sonu." Rahul said furiously.

"App dath kyu rahe ho?" Sonu asked with a puppy face.

Rahul had to force himself not to smile because he has something to talk. something important.

"Sonu" Rahul spoke seriously. "Who am I?"

"Ha?" Sonu asked confused. 

"Who am I?" Rahul repeated.

"Bhai... My Rahul Bhai." Sonu replied still a bit confused.

"Oo.. then why didn't you share your problem with your Bhai for last one year?" Dravid asked. 

"It was good that Dilip bhai has told me. But if not? what if he hadn't come there? or he didn't tell me about it in random talks? Sonu... We can't leave injuries untreated. I... I was a fool too. with everything happening around I forgot to keep a check on your treatment...but... but you could have always come to me right?" Rahul continued as Sonu didn't speak.

"I...I thought I can manage." Sonu whispered looking down.

"Abhi tu itna bhi bada nahi huva hai ki... You can manage everything alone. Be a kid which you are." Rahul said a sternly.

"You scolding again" Sonu brought back his puppy eyes and Dravid melted as usual.

"Uffo... Just don't do such things in future. you know you can always come to me. don't you?" Rahul said ruffling his hair.

"I will Pakka...I'm sorry." Sonu spoke, "But now I'm hungryyyyyyyy"

Laughing Dravid orders the food.

sonu sits on the bed comfortably and opens his mouth with a 'AAA' sound as soon as the food arrives, indicating Dravid to feed him. Dravid raises his eyebrows though he is smiling.

"I'm just being the kid which I am," Sonu replied not so innocently.

"Pagal..." Rahul smiled as he opened the food to feed his precious little one.

(to be continued...)

A/n: This is for the birthday of one of my favourite's... the one and Only Suresh Raina. (Yes it was yesterday... But I'm late...(is it even surprising?))

Youngest captain to lead India,

1st Indian to score t20 100,
1st Indian to have 100's in all 3 formats,

One of the few to score a 100 on his test debuts,

Unsung wc2011 hero... (It wouldn't definitely be possible without his quarter-final and semi-final knock.)

One of India's best fielder,

Do we even have to talk about his IPL records? HE IS MR.IPL

All these records will be broken one day...

But I'm not sure if we will ever find someone as selfless, team-minded, Kind hearted as Raina. Who starts celebrating non-strikers 100 before him, who celebrates every bowler's wicket more than a bowler himself, who runs from long-on and hogs on the bowler in excitement, who gets out at 97, 98, 99... trying to accelerate because the team needs it.

 Suresh Raina is the most beautiful soul in the whole damn world. PERIOD.

I said this before... I say this again... People who have Raina are really lucky.... be it be MS, Dravid, Yuzi, Kuliya, Kaifu, Rishu... and INDIA...

~A raina fan...then, now and forever