It was 2018, they were in England for T20 and one day series. It was a 5 days before the match. They had come early to England to habituate themselves with the pitch and the cold. They also had a small team trip planned afterwards. After Duncan Fletcher, Sanjay Manjarekar had succeeded him as the head coach. There was nothing bumpy about the transition, Fletcher had been very uninterfering coach, while Manjarekar was a little more opinionated but there was nothing obnoxious or hard headed about him. He put in effort work well with the players and seemed to listen to Virat and MSD's inputs well. Virat was happy with this smooth transition, or he should have been so. He initially was actually happy. But after few months, to tell the truth, now he was the most uneasy about it. Manjarekar seemed now to always listen to Dhoni over Virat. It had been gradual change, unnoticeable at first, but from the previous tour Virat almost felt ignored. He once tried to talk to Manjerakar about it, but he brushed it off saying he was just taking the decisions in teams interest. Well Virat knew that Bhai was a great Cricketing brain and Virat himself listened to his advice almost always. But it should be his call, not like the coach behaving like MS was the captain and not him. MS tried to diplomatically push Virat's point if views and this seemed to aggrevate Virat even more. He was the captain, not the new player in the house who had to be given way for him to make his opinions heard. He should be heard before everyone else. He was getting frustrated, he couldn't be angry on MS, he knew Mahi Bhai always had the teams best interest in heart. Bhai always had his best interest in heart. But it was still making him frustrated to be blatantly ignored and belittled by their own coach. MSD almost always protested against it, tried say Virat's decision was final but it seemed that his stature and reputation spoke louder than his own voice. And whenever he got frustrated he hit the gym. And that's what he was doing now. After a hour in their his mind seemed to be more under control. He took a quick shower and went to find Rohit. They planned to go to the nearby Japanese joint for dinner together along with Mahi Bhai. Yes, Virat was frustrated but he was genuinely trying to convince himself that he was overthinking.

Hardik looked casual yet dapper in a white tee and black jeans with a grey hoody. He sprayed himself with some deo and gelled his hair before getting his new watch. He was going to meet Isha, his friend who happened to stay in Edinburgh. Once done he knocked on MS's door and poked his head in. MS himself was getting ready to go to dinner when Hardik came. "Bhai, I am going to meet Isha" he said walking in, "pls if someone asks sambhal Lena." "Of course" MS said indulgently "Just don't be too late, there's practice tomorrow and dont let the papparazi spot you." "Ha thik hai" Hardik said "It's just two blocks away and England mein media ka utna jhajhat nahi hai. Do you think I look ok" "Yeah" MS said "You're looking fine. Where did you meet this girl btw?" "Umesh introduced me too her at a party. After that we became friends over text." Hardik said "She was in town so I thought let's catch up." "Cool" MS said "Go now. Shouldn't keep your date waiting" "She is not a date." Hardik whined "She is just a friend." "Ok ok" Mahi said "But you need to return early so now go." "Bye Bhai" Hardik said leaving "See you in practice tomorrow." MS smiled to himself before wearing his shoes and heading to Rohit's room. Virat and Ro must be waiting for him.

Unbeknownst to them, in a closed room of the same hotel a phone conversation went like this.
S: Our plan is taking its effect. The frustration in Virat is building. I think he is in the gym right now working his frustration out on some weights.
Y: Good, good. And now you have to very carefully turn his anger towards our Target.
S: I know, I know what to do. He is still not angry on our target, in fact he is going to dinner with him but it won't take much time. I know my next moves very well. Our sources in the media houses have started to feed the informations.
Y: Ok good. What about the other boy? Hardik?
S: Well he is going to meet Isha today, at a local restro. I will have our man there.
Y: Does she know about the plan?
S: Oh no she doesn't, she is just meeting him. Umesh is our inside guy. He is the one who informed us.
Y: Well can he be trusted?
S: Yes he can be trusted and bought for a certain amount. He was the one who told us about Isha.
Y: Are you sure this would work?
S: Yeah, as far as I have seen, he only tells our target, Bhuvaneshwar and Rahul about his dates. So our plan will work fine. But why is turning him against our target necessary. Virat's anger and then our second blow will be enough to oust him from the team.
Y: Yes it will be, but I don't just want him out. I want him broken to bits. He behaves like he protects the team that he is like a wall. So I want the great Wall of Mahendra Singh Dhoni down in dust, so much so that he will lose all desire of ever playing again. He will lose his spirit. This will happen only when the people closest to him point their fingers at him. When the team he built will make him an outcast.
S: You are a evil man. And so so cunning.
Y: So are you. And remember I am paying you well. So no backing out. The preparation for the second blow is also ready.
S: ohh no, I have enough personal interest not to back out. Don't worry. I will tell you when you are ready for the second blow.
Sanjay Manjerakar cut the call with Yograj Singh and went out have his dinner. For the first time in life MS had no idea of the fate awaiting him.