God of Cricket!-Chapter 32: Karnataka U19 [Pt 1]
Chapter 32: Changes
Ananya grabbed his hand and pulled him beside her, and she started walking again without looking at Aryan for the rest of the walk.
Aryan was a bit surprised by her action but didn’t react and left his hand in hers.
Aryan and Ananya got back home, and Aryan escorted her to her doorstep.
Ananya looked like she wanted to say something but ultimately decided against it.
She waved at Aryan again and entered her house. Aryan stood there for a few minutes after she had entered her house before walking towards his.
Priya and Riya had fallen asleep on the sofa with the TV still on. Aryan looked at both his mother and sister before smiling.
He picked up the remote and switched off the TV before going upstairs. He came down with a large blanket and covered them with it.
They both clenched the blanket for warmth. Aryan swore in his mind to make both of them proud through his cricket.
Afterwards, he went upstairs and washed up before surfing the net for cricket news.
After about 30 minutes, he put down the phone and slept.
The following week passed by as Aryan’s routine was the same.
He would wake up and complete his daily task. After that, he would freshen up and eat. After spending some time with Riya, Priya, and Ananya, he would go for training at the BKC grounds..
After training, it was recovery, then dinner, before evening strolls with Ananya.
The matchups for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy Quarter-Finals had been officially announced, and Mumbai U19 were meeting Karnataka U19.
Although it was a very tough match, as Karnataka was a powerhouse in the South Zone, people expected Karnataka to go through given their recent form.
Aryan, who was not going to settle for that, trained very hard in training, which even made Coach Kulkarni a bit concerned that he might get injured.
He even had Aryan checked by the Mumbai Ranji Team physios and doctors, and when the results came back, it surprised the doctors.
They were very impressed by his muscle mass, bone density, and recovery rate among other things.
Coach Kulkarni decided that if that was the case, then training a bit more wouldn’t hurt.
The remaining week went by fast, and it was time for the match against Karnataka U19.
The match was being played at a neutral venue—the Gymkhana Ground in Hyderabad—with a 15,000 capacity, and the atmosphere was electric for an U19 knockout game.
The match would start at 9:00 AM, and the stands looked decently packed.
Aryan felt the atmosphere during the warm-ups. While on the pitch, he looked around for a bit and finally spotted his mother, together with his sister and Ananya in the VIP stands (Coach Kulkarni had arranged passes).
He waved at them after spotting them, and they also seemed to spot him as they also waved back.
Aryan, after he completed his warm-up, went inside the dressing room to change before the match.
After that, Coach Kulkarni explained the tactical aspects of the game, focusing on Karnataka’s strong batting lineup.
Very soon the players found themselves walking out for the National Anthem. Aryan looked around and spotted the Karnataka U19 captain.
He looked at him and thought he might have some serious ability to be captaining such a strong side, so he used the snooping function on him.
[PLAYER INFO]
NAME: MANISH REDDY (Fictional adaptation)
AGE: 18 (Recently turned 18)
HEIGHT: 1.87m (6’2")
PROFESSION: CRICKETER
STATUS: STATE YOUTH PLAYER
TEAM: Karnataka U19
SYSTEM EVALUATION: Indispensable to Karnataka U19
PLAYER RATING: 65/100
POSITION: Top Order Batsman
POTENTIAL: 85
[STATS]
Speed: 56
Footwork: 67
Spatial Awareness: 68
Technique: 67
Batting: 66
Bowling: 56
Physical Strength: 74
Weak Zone Proficiency: 3 stars
Shot Creativity: 2 stars
Aryan nodded while looking at his stats. A classic, solid batsman with high strength.
The officials initiated the toss. Karnataka won the toss and elected to bat.
The players came out of the pavilion.
After about 5 minutes later, they stood on the pitch with the umpire holding the new white ball..
Umpire calling Play
The stadium, which had been a bit quiet, erupted into cheers right after the umpire signaled the start of the match.
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Gymkhana Ground, Hyderabad - Vinoo Mankad
Trophy Quarter-Final
Match Situation:
Karnataka U19 (1st Innings): 285/7 (50 Overs)
Mumbai U19 (Target): 286 runs to win.
Current Score: 45/2 (10 Overs)
The match had started a while ago, and the Karnataka U19 bowlers were in charge of the game.
The Mumbai U19 batsmen tried their hardest to rotate the strike, but it proved difficult.
They were quickly pressed by the Karnataka fielders, who crowded the bat, causing them to play dot balls and make mistakes.
The spectators, mostly locals and scouts, had expected as much as the Mumbai top order was being dismantled by the Karnataka pace attack.
Kabir (Mumbai’s No. 3), sensing that he had to do something, waited for the end of the over.
He walked up to Aryan, who was at the non-striker’s end, and didn’t need to talk too much because Aryan also wanted to suggest the same thing.
"We need to disrupt their line. They are bowling channel. Let’s step out and force them to change lengths," Aryan whispered.
Coach Kulkarni had expected the Karnataka bowlers to be dominant at the start with the new ball and had told the players to implement a counter-attack strategy if the run rate dropped too low.
Kabir made the signal—a tap of the bat on the pads—to initiate the tactic.
The tactic seemed to be working as the pressure on the Mumbai batsmen was alleviated.
The Mumbai U19s seemed to sprawl into life as they started playing some aggressive strokes. They started finding gaps more efficiently as the fielders were pushed back.
Kabir, sensing that this was the time to strike, quickly looked at Aryan, who got the signal for a quick single.
Aryan maneuvered the ball through the covers, and Kabir, who saw this, ran hard. Aryan took a beautiful turn at the crease but was surrounded by the possibility of a run-out as two fielders converged.
Not wasting any chance, he dove—literally flying over the crease just as the throw came in. The fielder, who wasn’t expecting such a desperate dive this early, missed the stumps.
Aryan stood up, dusting his jersey. He was now facing the spinner, Raghav.
The spinner tossed it up, trying to stall for time and flight. Aryan, who saw this, tried to make it count before the bowler settled into a rhythm.
He looked up and saw that long-on was inside the circle and decided to go for it. Aryan dragged his right foot back and powered his bat through the ball.
The ball, on its way, seemed to be sailing over the ropes. The fielder at long-on tried to position himself, but it looked like a sure six.
Aryan watched as the ball seemed to be going inside the stands.
Some of the Mumbai U19 support staff had already raised their hands but were met with disappointment as the ball bounced just inside the rope—a four, not a six—and was cut off by a brilliant fielding effort on the boundary line.
The Karnataka players heaved a sigh of relief as most of them thought that was a maximum for sure.
The Karnataka U19 captain, Manish Reddy, started thinking if he should change the field for the kid who just tried to put his spinner on the backfoot.
He ultimately decided against it and decided to watch him some more before he could focus any extra attention on him.
The match continued with its fast pace as both sides were trying to wrestle control. The game was, however, balanced until the Karnataka U19 team got a chance.
Over 17
The Karnataka pacer, Vinay, latched onto a loose drive from Kabir. Kabir had tried to break the shackles with a cover drive but hit it in the air.
The ball flew towards the point fielder. It looked like it might clear him. However, the fielder, Karun, jumped like a leopard.
Aryan yelled, "No!" but it was too late.
Karun plucked the ball out of thin air—a blinder of a catch.
Wicket! Kabir was out for 25. Mumbai 85/3.
The stadium erupted into cheers as the Karnataka traveling fans and parents started shouting and making noise.
The Mumbai U19 players in the dugout bowed their heads as if they had just lost the World Cup.
Aryan, seeing the new batsman Vikram walking in nervously, started shouting and tapping his bat to get their attention.
"Why are you guys acting like we lost? It’s only the 17th Over. Come on, get your act together, stick to the crease, and let’s win this match!"
Vikram raised his head as the words of Aryan sank in. How could he give up if even the youngest kid on the team was acting like this?
The rejuvenated Mumbai pair tapped gloves and prepared to face the next ball.
Mumbai U19 initiated a flurry of counter-attacking shots from that point. They didn’t give the Karnataka U19 bowlers any breathing space as they tried to rebuild the innings.
They came close to losing another wicket on two different occasions but were saved by a dropped catch and a missed run-out chance.
Aryan was starting to get some unwanted attention from the opponent bowlers as they saw that he was mostly the one rotating the strike and keeping the scoreboard ticking.
They started bowling bodyline—short balls aimed at the ribs—and sledging him a number of times.
Aryan, sensing this, saw an opportunity within his misery. He waited for the pacer, Vinay, to overstep his aggression.
Aryan started moving in the crease, shuffling across, hoping to disturb the bowler’s rhythm.
A nice change of stance and a quick single with Vikram set Aryan up on strike.
Aryan kept shuffling, exposing his stumps, praying that the bowler would try a yorker and miss his length.
Aryan’s prayers seemed to be heard as Vinay opted for a deadly beamer—a ball that slipped out of his hand and went straight for Aryan’s head.
Aryan needed the umpire to call it. He ducked frantically, falling to the ground with a bit of theatrics to emphasize the danger.
The umpire, seeing this, signaled a No-Ball.
Aryan smiled as he saw the umpire award the No-Ball and also gave the bowler a first official warning.
This meant a Free Hit was coming up.
All the Mumbai players smiled at the situation. Vikram walked up to Aryan and punched gloves.
"Smash it," Vikram said.
Aryan looked and saw that the field was set back, but for a Free Hit, he could swing freely. Aryan took his stance, clearing his mind.
His teammates in the dugout had gotten to the edge of their seats.
Aryan, taking a deep breath, activated [Focus Lv 1]. He saw that the noise had reduced and he could notice some very fine details he couldn’t see before—the seam of the ball in the bowler’s hand.
He looked at the ball.
He tapped his bat... 1... 2... 3...
The bowler ran in. He bowled a slower ball in the slot.
Aryan planted his front leg, cleared his hips, and with a heavy movement of his wrists, struck the underside of the ball.
Aryan watched as the ball rose over the long-on fielder. The ball he hit had felt good and he was sure it was a six.
Aryan had already started walking down the pitch, twirling his bat.
CRACK!
The ball rustled the net—I mean, crashed into the sight screen behind the bowler. A massive Six!
Aryan ran a single (though not needed) and made a fist pump. He showed it to the area where Priya, Riya, and Ananya were sitting in the VIP box.
The three got up and cheered when they saw Aryan gesture towards them. The Mumbai staff erupted into cheers as the shot was a masterpiece.
Aryan blew a kiss towards where the three were.
The umpire signaled the start of the next over. The pressure was now back on the Karnataka side.
The players had not expected such resilience from the opponent as overall, Karnataka was the better team on paper.
This caused them to make fielding mistakes. Their captain, Manish Reddy, tried his best and stabilized the team by bringing himself into the attack.
The match was going either way until Aryan got the strike again in the 25th over.
Unfortunately for him, his recent antics and six had brought him unwanted attention. The field was set specifically for him.
"Make use of every situation whether good or bad." Aryan didn’t know why that rang in his mind, but he understood the message behind it.
Although the field was packed on the leg side, the off-side was relatively open to induce a catch.
Aryan, taking advantage of the gap, played a deft late cut.
The ball raced towards the third-man boundary. Vikram called for a third run.
Vikram didn’t wait and went ahead a bit for the throw to come in. The sudden burst of speed made it difficult for the fielder to gather cleanly.
This slip-up caused an overthrow.
Aryan took advantage of the lack of awareness of the fielders and called for the fourth run.
Over 25.4
Aryan faced the next ball. Manish Reddy bowled a flighted delivery.
Aryan timed his footwork very well. He stepped out.
Aryan dragged the bat back, faking a lofted drive. The bowler, seeing Aryan about to smash it, flinched.
Aryan, with a change of wrists, played a Reverse Sweep.
He rolled his wrists over the ball.
The ball flew over the point fielder, who was inside the circle.
Using the pace of the ball, it raced away to the boundary.
Four Runs!
The stadium erupted into applause.
Coach Kulkarni bumped his fists. "He is playing with them!"
Both the Mumbai players on the bench and on the pitch joined in the applause.
Coach of Karnataka couldn’t help but sigh at the scene in front of him. He also wanted a player that could change the tide of a game just like Aryan did.
He smiled wryly and sent a message to his captain via the 12th man.
The boundary was scored in the 26th over. The game reached the halfway mark (Drinks Break).
The game continued after the break, and it seemed like the dead spirits of the Karnataka U19 had risen.
Aryan looked at them and thought whatever the message was, it was working.
The players this time were more compact and disciplined. They didn’t bowl any loose balls.
Aryan smiled at the resiliency of the players. He liked that they were not going down without a fight.
The Karnataka U19 team’s effort paid off as they got a chance to level the momentum.
Over 28
Vikram, who had been supporting Aryan well, faced the spinner.
The spinner, Raghav, flighted the ball outside off.
Vikram tried to drive it through covers.
He mistimed it! The ball turned sharply. It took the outside edge.
The Captain, Manish Reddy, standing at first slip, dove to his left.
With a bit of a run-up—I mean, reflex action—he towered over the keeper and plucked the ball one-handed.
Wicket!
The Karnataka U19 team went crazy. The cheers of the Karnataka fans grew louder as their team had leveled the playing field by breaking the partnership.
Manish Reddy, who had taken the catch, ran to the Karnataka fans and kissed the badge on his jersey.
The scoreboard updated.
Mumbai U19: 145/4 (28 Overs). Target: 286.
The match was evenly poised.
The cheers of the fans died down as the new batsman walked in, and everyone waited for the next phase of play to start.
(To be Continued)
