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Date: 10th June 2022 Location: Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
The Vistara flight touched down on the runway of Biju Patnaik International Airport.
Aarav Pathak stepped out into the humid Odisha afternoon. He wasn't wearing the team kit today. He was dressed to kill. A crisp, unbuttoned beige linen shirt over a white tee, paired with dark olive chinos and white sneakers. Sunglasses black aviators shielded his eyes.
But the pièce de résistance was on his left wrist. Glinting in the sun was the Patek Philippe Ref. 2523J "Cloisonné World Timer". A vintage masterpiece, rare and exquisitely detailed with a map on the dial. It whispered, 'I have arrived.'
As he walked towards the exit, flanked by four towering CISF guards, the noise began. Bhubaneswar wasn't a regular cricket hub, so when stars arrived, the city stopped. The arrivals terminal was packed. Not just packed overflowing.
Thousands of fans were pressed against the glass barricades. "AARAV! AARAV!""VICE CAPTAIN!""SETH SAHEB!"
The chant from Gujarat had traveled east.
Aarav paused at the automatic doors. He took off his sunglasses. The roar intensified. He smiled, waving to the sea of people. He signed a few miniature bats thrust at him by security personnel on behalf of fans, then walked towards the waiting convoy.
A sleek, black Range Rover Autobiography, arranged by the BCCI and Odisha Cricket Association, was idling at the curb. Aarav slid into the backseat, the heavy door closing out the deafening noise. He exhaled, checking his watch. The dial showed the time in 40 cities, but right now, only Cuttack time mattered.
The drive to the Mayfair Lagoon, the team hotel, was scenic but chaotic, with bikers trailing the convoy. Upon check-in, Aarav didn't go to the spa or the pool. He went straight to Room 301.
He knocked. The door opened. Rahul Dravid stood there, wearing the Team India training polo and reading glasses. The Head Coach.
"Sir," Aarav smiled, leaning against the doorframe.
Dravid's serious face broke into a genuine, warm grin. He pulled Aarav into a hug. "Welcome back, Champion. Or should I say, Mr. Vice-Captain?"
"Just Aarav for you, Sir," he replied, walking into the room.
It felt likeU-19 days. Dravid was the architect of Aarav's technique, the man who taught him patience before Nehra taught him aggression.
"How are you?" Dravid asked, offering him a bottle of water. "workload management."
"Recovered, although not needed but who would decline a paid holiday" Aarav said, sitting on the sofa. "The rest for the first match was good. I watched it on TV. Miller was... Miller." (referencing India's loss in the 1st T20I where David Miller chased down the target).
Dravid sighed, taking off his glasses. "Yeah. We put up 211, but the bowling... we missed you at the death, Aarav. Bhuvi and Harshal tried, but the dew in Delhi was a nightmare. We need that x-factor in Cuttack."
"I'm ready," Aarav said simply. "Tell Pant to just give me the ball when he needs a wicket."
Dravid patted his shoulder. "I know. Now go. Your boys are waiting in the common room. They have been asking 'When is Bhai coming?' every ten minutes."
Aarav walked into the team common room. It was chaos. This wasn't the senior team with Rohit and Virat talking about investments or other older people talks. This was the Young India. The Gen-Z squad.
Rishabh Pant (Captain) was trying to wrestle Ishan Kishan. Yuzvendra Chahal was making a reel with Arshdeep Singh. Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel were laughing at something on a tablet.
But the main event was happening in the center. Shreyas Iyer sat on a table, a deck of cards in his hand, looking like a magician about to reveal the prestige. Venkatesh Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Deepak Hooda were staring at him with intense focus.
"Watch closely," Shreyas said, his voice dramatic. "I take the King of Hearts. I put it in the middle." He shuffled the deck with a flamboyant bridge. "Now... blow on it, Venky." Venkatesh blew on the deck. Shreyas snapped his fingers. He pulled the top card. The King of Hearts.
"WHAT?!" Venkatesh Iyer jumped back. "Bro! How? You put it in the middle!"
"Magic," Shreyas smirked, shuffling again. "A true magician never reveals..."
"He keeps a break with his pinky finger," a voice said from the doorway.
Everyone turned. Aarav stood there, arms crossed, grinning.
"BHAI!" The room erupted. Rishabh Pant abandoned his wrestling match and ran over, jumping onto Aarav like a koala. "Vice-Captain is here! Finally! We missed you!"
Aarav laughed, hugging Pant. "Get off, Spidey. You're heavy."
He walked over to the table, high-fiving Arshdeep ("Well bowled in the final, champ"), hugging Chahal ("Purple Cap holder!"), and nodding at Axar ("Bapu!").
He stopped in front of Shreyas. "Pinky break," Aarav repeated, pointing at Shreyas's hand. "Classic sleight of hand. You hold the gap while shuffling."
Shreyas threw the cards on the table, feigning annoyance. "Yaar, Aarav! You ruin everything! I had them fooled! Venky thought I was Harry Potter! You are watching too much magic reveal you tube videos."
"I did not!" Venkatesh defended weakly. "I was just... amazed."
"Show us another one!" Ishan Kishan demanded, grabbing a chair. "Aarav bhai, you sit. Shreyas, do the coin trick. The one where it disappears."
Aarav sat down, loosening his watch strap slightly. He looked around the room. These were his friends. His peers. They had played U-19 together, IPL together, and now they were wearing the India Blue together. There was no hierarchy here. Pant might be Captain, Aarav might be VC, but in this room, they were just boys living their dream.
"Okay, okay," Shreyas picked up a coin. "Watch the coin. Watch my eyes. Do not blink."
As Shreyas performed (and successfully vanished the coin behind his ear), the room filled with laughter, roasts, and the easy camaraderie of a team that wasn't burdened by the past, but excited for the future.
Aarav leaned back, watching them. The pressure of the Vice-Captaincy would start tomorrow at the nets. The pressure of saving the series would start the day after in Cuttack. But for tonight? Tonight was about magic tricks and friendship.
"Welcome back, Seth," Arshdeep whispered, sitting next to him. "Good to be back, Arsh," Aarav smiled.
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The humidity in Cuttack was oppressive. The net session at the Barabati Stadium was in full swing under the afternoon sun. The "Young India" squad was going through the drills, but there was a distinct buzz around net number 1.
Rahul Dravid stood behind the stumps, arms crossed, wearing his wide-brimmed hat. Paras Mhambrey (Bowling Coach) was holding the speed gun.
Aarav Pathak, wearing the training bib over his India jersey, marked his run-up. He had missed the first game, and he seemed eager to make up for lost time. Rishabh Pant was keeping wickets in the nets, crouching low.
"Chalo, Seth! Dikhao pace! (Come on, Boss! Show the pace!)" Pant chirped from behind the stumps.
Aarav didn't smile. He just ran. The rhythm was smooth, a buildup of kinetic energy that exploded at the crease.
Thwack.
The ball hit the practice pitch and rose sharply. It flew past the batsman (Ruturaj Gaikwad), who had barely finished his backlift. It hit Pant's gloves with a sound that echoed around the empty stadium. Pant was pushed back a step by the sheer force.
"Ooof!" Pant shook his hand, grimacing. "Bhai, aram se! Haath todenge kya? (Brother, easy! Will you break my hand?)"
Paras Mhambrey looked at the speed gun. He blinked. 154.4 kmph.
"Did you see that?" Mhambrey whispered to Dravid. "First ball of the spell. 154."
Dravid nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "I think he don't need any kind of warm ups. whose idea was this to rest him in the first game."
Aarav walked back, spinning the ball in his hands. Avesh Khan, the other speed demon of the squad, was watching from the sidelines. "He's bowling faster than ever," Avesh muttered to Arshdeep Singh. "And he swings it."
Aarav ran in again. This time to Shreyas Iyer. Shreyas, known for his struggle against the short ball, was ready. Or so he thought. Aarav banged it in short. It wasn't just fast; it was heavy. It rushed Shreyas completely. He tried to sway, but the ball was already past his nose. 153.1 kmph.
"Whoa!" Shreyas yelped, losing his balance. "Aarav! Save it for Miller! I am your teammate!"
Aarav stopped in his follow-through, grinning. "Just testing the surface, Shreyas. It has good bounce."
"Good bounce? That was a missile!"
For the next twenty minutes, it was a carnage of stumps and egos. Aarav bowled with a hostility that belied his calm demeanor. He cleaned up Venkatesh Iyer with a yorker that would have crushed toes if not for the pads. He beat Ishan Kishan for pace three times in a row.
By the time he finished his spell, the batsmen were looking at him with a mix of fear and relief that he was on their side.
After a quick drink break, Aarav padded up. He walked into the batting net. Facing him were India's T20 specialists: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the master of swing, bowled a perfect outswinger. Aarav didn't defend. He stepped out, negating the swing, and punched it through the covers. The sound of the bat was crisp.
Then came Harshal Patel. Harshal tried his famous dipping slower ball. Aarav picked it from the hand. He waited. He waited an eternity. Then, he unleashed a bat swing that generated a gust of wind. BOOM. The ball soared over the net, over the sight screen, and landed in the stands.
"Shot, Aarav!" Dravid shouted. "Hold the shape!"
Yuzvendra Chahal came next. He tossed it up, the same delivery he used in the IPL. Aarav smirked. He played the Slog Sweep. Flat. Hard. Brutal. The net bowlers had to duck as the ball rocketed past them.
It wasn't just the power; it was the dominance. When Avesh Khan bowled a bouncer, Aarav didn't duck. He pulled it in front of square—the "Rohit Sharma shot"—with disdain. When Axar Patel fired it in, Aarav reverse-swept him for a virtual four.
Rishabh Pant, watching from behind the net, shook his head. "He is in a different zone," Pant said to Hardik Pandya. "He looks... dangerous. Like he is angry at the ball."
Hardik nodded, chewing his gum. "He set the tone in the IPL final. Now he wants more. It's good for us. We need someone to scare the South Africans."
Aarav finished his session with a lofted straight drive that nearly took the head off the net bowler. He walked out, unstrapping his pads, sweat dripping from his face, but looking barely winded.
Rahul Dravid walked up to him. "You ready for tomorrow?"
Aarav drank from his water bottle and wiped his mouth. "I was ready yesterday, Sir. Cuttack is going to be fun."
Dravid looked at the indentations on the practice pitch where Aarav's thunderbolts had landed. "I think South Africa should be worried," Dravid murmured.
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If Delhi was a coliseum, the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack was a pressure cooker. The 45,000-strong crowd had packed the stands three hours before the first ball. The humidity was soaring, but the energy was even higher.
The chant had started outside the gates and now reverberated through the concrete pillars of the stadium. "INDIA! INDIA!" And interwoven with it, a newer, sharper chant: "AA-RAV!"
The Vice-Captain was back. The news had leaked from the net sessions, and the anticipation was tangible.
Ravi Shastri, looking dapper in his broadcaster suit, stood in the center of the pitch. The microphone in his hand looked like a weapon. He thrived in this noise.
"Good evening, Cuttack! Make some noise!"
The roar was deafening.
"We are here for the 2nd T20 International. India trailing 0-1. Pressure is on the hosts. I have the two captains with me. Rishabh Pant for India, and Temba Bavuma for South Africa. Match Referee Javagal Srinath is here."
Rishabh Pant, looking focused but slightly nervous after the first loss, spun the coin. "Heads," Bavuma called.
The coin landed. "Heads it is," Srinath confirmed.
Ravi Shastri: "Temba Bavuma wins the toss. Temba, what is it going to be?"
Temba Bavuma: "We are going to bowl first, Ravi. The wicket looks good, maybe a bit two-paced at the start. We want to see what we are chasing. We chased well in Delhi, hope to do the same here."
Ravi Shastri: "You are 1-0 up. Confidence must be high. Any changes to the winning combination?"
Temba Bavuma: "Yeah, forced changes and tactical ones. Reeza Hendricks misses out, Quinton de Kock is back at the top. He's a big player for us. And unfortunately, Heinrich Klaasen pulled up with a niggle in the warm-up, so he misses out. A young exciting talent, Tristan Stubbs, makes his debut today."
Ravi Shastri: "Good luck, Temba."
Ravi turned to Rishabh Pant. The crowd noise swelled again.
Ravi Shastri: "Rishabh, lost the toss again. Happy to bat?"
Rishabh Pant (Smiling wryly): "Well, we would have bowled first too, honestly. The dew factor might come in later. But we have to put runs on the board. We scored 211 in the last game, so the batting is clicking. We just need to execute better with the ball."
Ravi Shastri: "The crowd is waiting for the news, Rishabh. What is the team news?"
Rishabh Pant: "Yeah, a couple of changes. Unfortunately, Bhuvi bhai (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) has a slight hamstring issue, so he misses out as a precaution. Avesh Khan also sits out for this one."
He paused. The crowd held its breath.
"We have Ruturaj Gaikwad coming in at the top..."
Cheers.
"...and the big change is that the Vice-Captain is back. Aarav Pathak comes into the XI."
The moment the name "Aarav Pathak" left Pant's lips, the Barabati Stadium erupted. It wasn't just a cheer; it was a release. The hero of the team, the prince of the team was back again wearing the India Blue in this series.
Ravi Shastri (Raising his voice over the din): "You can hear the reaction! The crowd loves him! Aarav Pathak adds that balance and firepower. Good luck, Rishabh."
As the toss was concluding, the giant screen in the stadium—and the millions of TV screens at home—split into two frames.
Left Frame: Rishabh Pant shaking hands with Temba Bavuma. Right Frame: The Indian Dugout.
The camera zoomed in. It bypassed Dravid, bypassed Hardik, and found its target. Aarav Pathak.
He was sitting on the padded bench, wearing the India training bib over his jersey, holding a bottle of water.
Suddenly, he noticed the camera man standing near the boundary rope, lens pointed directly at him. He glanced up at the giant screen and saw his own face magnified for 45,000 people.
The crowd screamed even louder.
Aarav didn't wave. He didn't smile for the gallery. He frowned slightly. He lifted his hand and made a 'shooing' gesture—a flick of the wrist. Move away. Focus on the game.
It wasn't rude; it was focused. It was the telling the media that the show wasn't about him; it was about the match.
Commentary Box
Sunil Gavaskar: "Look at that. He wants the camera off him. He knows the expectations are sky-high. He's saying, 'Don't look at me, look at the pitch.' That is focus."
Graeme Smith: "He's a superstar, Sunny. You can't keep the camera off him. But I like the attitude. He's here to work, not to model. South Africa will be wary of him. He changes the balance of this Indian side completely."
The Playing XIs
India:
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ishan Kishan
Aarav Pathak (VC)
Shreyas Iyer
Rishabh Pant (C & WK)
Hardik Pandya
Dinesh Karthik
Axar Patel
Harshal Patel
Yuzvendra Chahal
Arshdeep Singh (His Second Match)
South Africa:
Quinton de Kock (WK)
Temba Bavuma (C)
Rassie van der Dussen
David Miller
Tristan Stubbs
Dwaine Pretorius
Wayne Parnell
Keshav Maharaj
Tabraiz Shamsi
Kagiso Rabada
Anrich Nortje
As the Indian openers walked out, the buzz remained centered on the man who would come in later. Aarav Pathak was back. The balance was restored. And Cuttack was ready to witness the storm.
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The floodlights at the Barabati Stadium were fully effective now, cutting through the haze. The humid air was heavy, but the anticipation was heavier. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan marked their guards. Temba Bavuma tossed the new white Kookaburra to his speed merchant, Anrich Nortje.
Over 1: Anrich Nortje to Ishan Kishan
Ravi Shastri: "Here we go. Pace to start. Anrich Nortje. He can hit 150 kmph with ease. Ishan Kishan on strike. He likes the ball coming onto the bat, but he has to be wary of the movement."
Ball 1: Nortje started with serious heat. 148 kmph. Good length, angling across the left-hander. Kishan defended from the crease. Dot.
Ball 2: Back of a length. 150 kmph. It skidded through. Kishan mistimed the pull to mid-on. Dot.
Ball 3: Nortje went full. Kishan pushed it to mid-off and took a quick single to get off the mark. 1 Run.
Ball 4: Ruturaj Gaikwad on strike. The stylish opener from Pune tapped his bat. Nortje bowled a heavy ball on the off-stump. Gaikwad defended solidly. Dot.
Ball 5: Short of a length. Gaikwad rose with the bounce and dropped it with soft hands to point. Wanted a run, but sent back. Dot.
Ball 6: Nortje finished the over with a 149 kmph delivery. Gaikwad guided it to third man for a single.
Score: India 2/0.
Over 2: Kagiso Rabada Strikes
Graeme Smith: "Kagiso Rabada from the other end. World-class operator. He will look to swing it."
Ball 1:Rabada ran in. He bowled a length delivery outside off, inviting the shot. Ruturaj Gaikwad, usually so technically sound, tried to be cheeky too early. He attempted a late cut, trying to lift it over the infield on the off-side. But the ball stuck in the pitch slightly. He didn't get the elevation or the timing. It flew tamely to Keshav Maharaj at point, who took a simple catch at chest height.
Sunil Gavaskar: "Oh dear! That is a soft dismissal. Gaikwad will be kicking himself. There was no need for that shot so early. He just chipped it straight to the fielder. India loses their first wicket for just 2 runs!"
Ruturaj Gaikwad c Maharaj b Rabada 1 (4)Score: India 2/1
The silence lasted for exactly three seconds. Then, the PA system announced the next batsman. "Next batsman... The Vice-Captain... Aarav Pathak!"
The Cuttack crowd exploded. Aarav walked out. Usually a Number 4 batsman for India, today he was promoting himself to Number 3 in the absence of Virat Kohli. He was stepping into the biggest shoes in Indian cricket.
He looked calm. He punched gloves with Ishan Kishan. He marked his guard Leg stump. He looked at Rabada.
Ball 2: Rabada, pumped up by the wicket, bowled full and outside off, searching for another edge. 145 kmph. Aarav leaned forward. The weight transfer was impeccable. He met the ball with the full face of the bat. A textbook cover drive. It wasn't hit hard; it was timed to perfection. It raced through the gap between cover and mid-off. FOUR.
Ravi Shastri: "BANG! First ball! What a way to get off the mark! He just leaned into it. That is the confidence of a man in form!"
Ball 3: Rabada corrected his line, bringing it closer to the off-stump. Aarav stood tall. He punched it on the up—a back-foot off-drive. It beat the bowler, beat mid-off, and rocketed to the long-off boundary. FOUR.
Graeme Smith: "That is authoritative. He is punching Rabada down the ground like he's a medium pacer. Aarav Pathak has arrived in Cuttack!"
Ball 4: Rabada, now rattled, tried to attack the pads, looking for LBW. Aarav's wrists took over. He whipped it. A glorious flick through mid-wicket. The balance was mesmerizing. FOUR.
Sunil Gavaskar: "Three in a row! Cover drive, off drive, flick! He is showing the full repertoire in his first three balls! The crowd has gone berserk! This is why he is the Vice-Captain!"
Ball 5: Rabada finally bowled a good defensive length ball. Aarav pushed it to mid-on and took a brisk single. 1 Run.
Ball 6: Ishan Kishan defended the last ball.
End of Over 2.Score: India 15/1. Aarav Pathak: 13* (4) - 3 Fours
Ravi Shastri: "India was 2 for 1. Now they are 15 for 1. Aarav Pathak has come out and changed the momentum in four balls. He is telling South Africa, 'You got a wicket? Good for you. Now fetch the ball.'"
Graeme Smith: "It's the intent, Ravi. No sighters. No 'getting his eye in'. He knows Rabada is a threat, so he attacked him immediately. That puts the bowler on the back foot."
The camera panned to the Indian dugout. Rahul Dravid was clapping politely, but Rishabh Pant was grinning ear to ear.
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The humid air of Cuttack seemed to be affecting the players differently. While Aarav Pathak looked like he was batting on a different pitch, Ishan Kishan, usually a pocket dynamo in the Powerplay, appeared rusty. The ball was stopping a fraction on him, while Aarav's timing was rendering the pitch irrelevant.
Over 3: Wayne Parnell
Temba Bavuma introduced the left-arm angle. Wayne Parnell, experienced and tricky, marked his run-up.
Ball 1: Aarav on strike. Parnell bowled a swinging delivery into the pads. Aarav didn't try to overhit. He leaned over and clipped it to deep square leg. 1 Run.
Ball 2: Ishan Kishan faced up. He looked eager to get going. Parnell bowled wide outside off. Ishan threw his hands at it. A mistimed slap to cover. Dot.
Ball 3: Parnell tightened the line. Length ball on off. Ishan defended firmly. Dot.
Graeme Smith: "You can see Ishan is trying to muscle the ball. The pitch is just holding up a bit. He needs to wait for it. Aarav, on the other hand, is playing late."
Ball 4: Ishan finally got a single, pushing a fuller ball to mid-off and running hard. 1 Run.
Ball 5: Aarav on strike. Parnell went for a yorker but served up a low full toss. Aarav didn't slog. He opened the face of the bat at the last second, steering it through the vacant gully region. It raced away. FOUR.
Ravi Shastri: "Smart batting! He saw third man was up inside the circle. He didn't need power; he just used the pace. That is cricketing intelligence from the Vice-Captain."
Ball 6: Aarav kept the strike with a single to deep point. 1 Run.
Score: India 22/1. Aarav: 19* (7) Ishan: 2* (7)
Over 4: Kagiso Rabada Continues
Rabada, stinging from the three boundaries in his first over, came charging in.
Ball 1: Aarav on strike. Rabada banged it in short. 146 kmph. Aarav saw it early. He swiveled, getting on top of the bounce. The pull shot was controlled, kept along the ground through square leg. FOUR.
Sunil Gavaskar: "He is picking the length so early. Rabada is one of the fastest in the world, but Aarav has so much time. He makes 145 look like 130."
Ball 2: Rabada corrected his length. Good ball. Aarav tapped it to point and called for a quick single. 1 Run.
Ball 3: Ishan Kishan on strike. He needed a release shot. Rabada bowled fast and straight. Ishan swung across the line—a heave to cow corner. He got an inside edge onto his pads. Dot.
Ball 4: Ishan tried to step out. Rabada followed him with a bouncer. Ishan swayed awkwardly. Dot.
Ball 5: Ishan finally connected, but straight to the fielder at mid-on. Dot.
Graeme Smith: "The pressure is building on Ishan. 2 runs off 10 balls. In the Powerplay, that is gold dust for the fielding side. He is consuming balls that Aarav could be hitting."
Ball 6: Ishan managed to squeeze a single to third man. 1 Run.
Score: India 28/1.
Over 5: Anrich Nortje Returns
Bavuma sensed the pressure on Kishan and brought back his fastest bowler, Anrich Nortje, to exploit it.
Ball 1: Ishan on strike. Nortje bowled a 150 kmph thunderbolt. Ishan backed away and slashed. Thick outside edge. It flew over the slip cordon (there was no slip) and raced to the third man boundary. FOUR.
Ravi Shastri: "Streaky! Very streaky! But he will take it. He needed that boundary to break the shackles. Not convincing, but effective."
Ball 2: Ishan tried to pull a ball that wasn't short enough. It hit him on the splice of the bat. Jarring. Dot.
Ball 3: Ishan pushed to mid-off and scrambled for a single. Aarav had to dive to make his ground. 1 Run.
Ball 4: Aarav on strike. Nortje to Aarav. Battle of the heavyweights. Nortje bowled full, attacking the stumps. Aarav showed the full face. A punchy on-drive. It beat the diving mid-on fielder. FOUR.
Sunil Gavaskar: "That is the difference in class right now. Ishan slashed hard for a lucky four. Aarav timed a straight ball for a majestic four. The sound off the bat was completely different."
Ball 5: Nortje went short. Aarav hopped and tucked it to fine leg. 1 Run.
Ball 6: Ishan defended. Dot.
Score: India 38/1. Aarav: 29* (10) Ishan: 8* (15)
Over 6: Wayne Parnell (Final Over of Powerplay)
Ravi Shastri: "Last over of the restrictions. India is 38/1. They need a big over to finish the Powerplay on a high. Aarav Pathak is striking at nearly 300. Ishan is striking at 50. The disparity is massive."
Ball 1: Ishan Kishan on strike. He stepped out and swung hard. He connected this time. A lofted shot over mid-off. It didn't go for six, but it plugged in the outfield. 2 Runs.
Ball 2: Ishan tried to sweep Parnell. He missed. LBW appeal. Umpire says Not Out. Pitching outside leg. Dot.
Ball 3: Ishan took a single to deep cover. 1 Run.
Ball 4: Aarav on strike. 29 off 10. Parnell tried a cutter. Aarav read it. He waited on the back foot and punched it through the covers. FOUR.
Graeme Smith: "He is finding gaps with a compass! Even with the field up, he finds the lane. 33 off 11 balls now. He is playing a different game."
Ball 5: Parnell went fuller. Aarav drove it on the up. It flew over the infield. It landed just inside the rope. FOUR.
Ball 6: Aarav took a single to keep the strike for the next over. 1 Run.
End of Powerplay.
Score: India 51/1.
Sunil Gavaskar: "Well, look at that scoreboard. India is 51/1, which is a decent Powerplay score. But look at the distribution. Aarav Pathak has scored 38 of those runs in just 14 deliveries. Ishan Kishan has struggled massively, 12 off 22. If not for the Vice-Captain's blitz, India would be in deep trouble."
Ravi Shastri: "Aarav has protected Ishan in this phase. He realized his partner was struggling, so he took the aggressor's role. That is leadership. He ensured the run rate didn't drop below 8. But Ishan needs to wake up now. The field is spreading. He can't consume more dot balls."
Graeme Smith: "South Africa will be happy with how they bowled to Ishan, but terrified of Aarav. He looks in ominous touch. If he stays for another 10 overs, we are looking at 200 again."
The players took a drinks break. Aarav walked up to Ishan, patting his helmet, likely telling him to calm down and rotate the strike. The platform was set, but it was a one-man show so far.
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As the field restrictions were lifted, Temba Bavuma turned to his spin department. The pitch, which had allowed Aarav to hit through the line against the shiny new ball, began to show its true colors. The humidity had made the ball slightly soft, and the abrasive surface started to grip.
Over 7: Keshav Maharaj
Graeme Smith: "Here comes the control. Keshav Maharaj. He is accurate, he doesn't give you air. On this pitch, if the ball stops, he becomes very dangerous."
Ball 1: Aarav Pathak on strike. He looked to continue his assault. He stepped out to drive. But the ball stuck in the pitch. Aarav adjusted brilliantly, checking his shot and pushing it to long-off. 1 Run.
Ball 2: Ishan Kishan on strike. He was batting on 12 off 22. The pressure of the dot balls was immense. Maharaj bowled it slightly flatter, drifting away. Ishan saw the width. He tried to play a square cut, throwing his hands at it to break the shackles. But the ball turned away just a fraction and bounced. It took the faintest of outside edges. Quinton de Kock didn't make a mistake. The gloves snapped shut.
Sunil Gavaskar: "And the struggle is over. Ishan Kishan never looked comfortable today. He tried to force it against the turn and edged it. South Africa gets the breakthrough immediately after the Powerplay."
Ishan Kishan c de Kock b Maharaj 12 (23)Score: India 52/2
Shreyas Iyer walked out at Number 4. He is known as a good player of spin, but this pitch required patience.
Ball 3: Iyer pushed a floated delivery to long-on. 1 Run.
Ball 4: Aarav tried to cut but the ball came slow. He chopped it to point. Dot.
Ball 5: Aarav worked it to deep mid-wicket. 1 Run.
Ball 6: Iyer defended. Dot.
Score: 54/2.
The Spin Stranglehold (Overs 8-10)
Tabraiz Shamsi, the chinaman bowler, joined Maharaj. The two spinners bowled in tandem, and suddenly, the boundaries dried up completely. Aarav Pathak, who was striking at nearly 300 in the Powerplay, found himself unable to pierce the field. The ball wasn't coming onto the bat.
Over 8 (Shamsi): 4 singles. Aarav tried to sweep but missed. The ball turned square.
Over 9 (Maharaj): 5 runs. All singles. Shreyas and Aarav rotated strike, but the explosive shots were risky.
Over 10 (Shamsi): Aarav tried to step out and loft over covers. He mistimed it, but it fell short of the fielder.
Score after 10 Overs: India 72/2. Aarav: 45* (26) Iyer: 8* (10)
Murali Kartik: "This is a dramatic shift. India scored 51 in the first 6 overs. In the next 4 overs, they have managed just 21 runs. The pitch is sticking. It's like batting in quicksand."
Over 11: Keshav Maharaj
Aarav was on 45. He was frustrated. He knew the team needed momentum.
Ball 1: Aarav pushed to long-off. 1 Run.
Ball 2: Iyer took a single.
Ball 3: Aarav Pathak (46) decided he had to take a risk. Maharaj bowled it flat on middle stump. Aarav went deep in his crease, trying to pull it over mid-wicket—a shot that usually raced for four. But the ball kept low and skidded. Aarav was cramped for room. He couldn't get the elevation. He hit it flat and hard... straight into the hands of Wayne Parnell at short mid-wicket.
Graeme Smith: "He picks out the fielder! Aarav Pathak is gone! He fought hard against the conditions, but frustration got the better of him. He falls short of a fifty. A brilliant start, but a tame end."
Aarav stood there for a second, head bowed, disappointed. He slapped his bat against his pad before walking off. He knew he had done the hard work but missed out on a big score.
Aarav Pathak c Parnell b Maharaj 47 (28)Score: India 74/3
Rishabh Pant, the Captain, walked out to join Shreyas Iyer. Two of the best players of spin in India were at the crease, but the conditions were neutralizing their attacking instincts.
Overs 12 & 13
Pant and Iyer realized that hitting boundaries was fraught with risk. They switched to a low-risk approach, nudging the ball into gaps and running hard twos.
Sunil Gavaskar: "They have to curb their natural instincts here. Pant wants to hit one-handed sixes, but he can't. He has to play straight. The strike rate is hovering around 100-110, but that is what the pitch demands right now. If they lose another wicket here, 140 will look difficult."
Over 12 (Shamsi): Pant got a thick outside edge that raced past slip for a lucky FOUR. The only boundary in 6 overs.
Over 13 (Pretorius): Slower balls into the pitch. Pant and Iyer managed 6 runs.
Score after 13 Overs: India 90/3. Iyer: 18* Pant: 10*
The explosive start provided by Aarav had evaporated. India was in a battle of attrition. The crowd in Cuttack had gone quiet, watching a gritty struggle unfold in the middle.
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The scoreboard read 90/3. With 7 overs to go, the projected score was hovering around 140-150. On a pitch that was gripping and stopping, that might be competitive, but India wanted more. They wanted 170.
Over 14: Tabraiz Shamsi
Ravi Shastri: "Shamsi for his final over. Pant is on strike. He has been quiet. Too quiet. The Lion has been caged, but will he break free?"
Ball 1: Shamsi tossed it up wide. Pant reached out. He lost his balance slightly—the classic Pant one-handed heave. The bottom hand came off the handle. But the power! Even with one hand, he generated enough force. The ball sailed over long-off. SIX!
Graeme Smith: "There it is! The one-handed special! He didn't time it perfectly, but he muscled it. Much needed for India."
Ball 2: Pant tried to repeat the shot but dragged it to deep mid-wicket. 1 Run.
Ball 3: Iyer stepped out and drove to long-on. 1 Run.
The rest of the over was singles. 11 runs off it. India crossed the 100 mark. Score: 101/3.
Over 15: Dwaine Pretorius Strikes
Temba Bavuma brought on Dwaine Pretorius. The medium-pacer was perfect for this pitch. He bowled cutters, taking all the pace off.
Ball 3: Shreyas Iyer Falls Shreyas Iyer (25 off 27) was struggling to find the boundary. He tried to manufacture a shot, walking across his stumps to flick a wide ball over fine leg. Pretorius bowled it wide and slow. Iyer got a feather edge on the toe of the bat. Quinton de Kock dived low to his right. Caught.
Murali Kartik: "The struggle ends. Shreyas Iyer tried everything but couldn't find his rhythm. Pretorius does the job with a clever change of pace."
Shreyas Iyer c de Kock b Pretorius 40 (35)Score: 112/4
Hardik Pandya walked out. The crowd cheered, hoping for the Lucknow Super Giants version of Hardik.
Over 16 & 17
The next two overs were a graveyard for momentum. Keshav Maharaj bowled out his spell brilliantly, conceding just 4 runs in the 16th over. Kagiso Rabada returned in the 17th.
Ball 2 (Over 17): Rishabh Pant tried to take on Rabada's pace. He went for a slash over point. Deep point was placed exactly for that shot. The ball flew hard and flat... straight to Rassie van der Dussen.
Ravi Shastri: "Straight to the man! Pant finds the fielder! He got a start, hit a six, but couldn't convert. India are 5 down now, and they are in danger of falling short of 150!"
Rishabh Pant c van der Dussen b Rabada 21 (17)Score: 125/5
Dinesh Karthik (DK) walked out. The veteran who had forced his way back into the team with sheer weight of runs in the IPL. He joined Hardik Pandya.
Over 18: Wayne Parnell
DK and Hardik needed a big over. Parnell bowled full and wide. Hardik managed a boundary through covers a powerful drive. DK played his trademark scoop over fine leg for FOUR. 13 runs off the over. Score: 138/5.
Over 19: Rabada vs Hardik
Graeme Smith: "Penultimate over. Hardik Pandya is the key. Rabada against Pandya. Heavyweight clash."
Ball 1: Hardik swung and missed. Dot. Ball 2: Hardik pulled a short ball to deep mid-wicket. Two runs. Ball 3:WICKET! Rabada went full. Hardik tried to helicopter it. He didn't get under it. The ball rocketed to long-on, where Wayne Parnell took a sharp catch near the rope.
Sunil Gavaskar: "Hardik goes! Rabada wins the battle! Just as India looked to accelerate, they lose a wicket. Hardik scored 9, but they needed 20 from him."
Hardik Pandya c Parnell b Rabada 9 (12)Score: 142/6
Axar Patel walked in.
Over 20: Anrich Nortje to DK
The last over. Dinesh Karthik was on strike. Axar Patel at the other end. India was 146/6.
Ball 1: Nortje bowled 148 kmph. DK shuffled across and ramped it. He didn't look at the ball. It flew over the keeper's head. FOUR.
Ball 2: Nortje went full. DK smashed it straight down the ground. Mid-off was up. FOUR.
Ravi Shastri: "DK is doing it! He is the designated finisher and he is showing why! Two boundaries to start the 20th!"
Ball 3: DK took a single.
Ball 4: Axar Patel on strike. He swung wildly at a short ball. Top edge. It landed safely behind the bowler. 2 Runs.
Ball 5: Axar drove to long-off. 1 Run.
Ball 6: DK on strike for the final ball. Nortje bowled a yorker. DK dug it out, slicing it past point. They ran two hard runs. Wait! Misfield in the deep! They came back for the third! 3 Runs.
Total Score: India 148 + 15 = 163/6 (20 Overs)
Aarav Pathak, sitting in the dugout with his pads off, shook his head slightly as he looked at the total. He was chatting with Rahul Dravid.
"163," Aarav murmured. "It's 15 short on a good day. But on this pitch... maybe enough?"
Dravid nodded. "The ball is stopping. If our spinners bowl well, we are in the game. But we need wickets in the Powerplay. Bhuvi's absence will be felt as your partner. Hopefully Arshdeep would be able to fill the gap."
Sunil Gavaskar: "India finishes at 163 for 6. A fighting total. They recovered well thanks to Dinesh Karthik at the end. But the star of the show was undoubtedly Aarav Pathak. His 47 gave them the momentum early on. Without that blitz, they might have struggled to reach 140."
Graeme Smith: "South Africa will be reasonably happy. 163 to win. It's tricky, but with Miller and Klaasen... oh wait, Klaasen is out. With Miller and Stubbs, they have the power. But the key will be the start against the new ball."
The players walked off. It wasn't a commanding total, but in Cuttack, defending 163 was going to be a dogfight.
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SORRY FOR CALCULATION MISTAKES
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