The zonal championship was in full swing.
Matches were unfolding across Uttar Pradesh—some in dusty district grounds, others in refurbished stadiums with fresh turf and echoing stands. Western UP had won their opener, but the tournament was long. Fourteen matches over three months. Every game mattered.
Their next fixture was an away match in Rohilkhand, and the team was on the move.
The Journey
The bus rolled through sugarcane fields and sleepy towns, carrying the Western UP squad toward their next challenge. Inside, players chatted, napped, or listened to music. Some reviewed footage on their phones. Others just stared out the window, lost in thought.
Nikhil sat near the back, Veer tucked beside him, earbuds in.
But he wasn't listening to music.
He was watching cricket.
India vs South Africa – The Tour
The India tour of South Africa was underway, and the third ODI was streaming live. Nikhil's screen showed a packed stadium in Cape Town, the pitch hard and bouncy, the crowd roaring with every delivery.
He watched intently as MS Dhoni adjusted the field mid-over, placing a fielder at deep third just before a mistimed uppercut. He saw Virat Kohli marshal the chase with intensity, rotating strike and pacing the innings like a metronome. Rohit Sharma played a lazy-looking pull that somehow raced to the boundary. And on the other side, AB de Villiers danced down the track to loft a spinner over extra cover. Kagiso Rabada bowled with venom, mixing yorkers and bouncers with surgical precision.
Nikhil wasn't just watching.
He was studying.
Captain's Mind
Every decision Dhoni made, Nikhil paused and asked himself:
"What would I have done in his place?"
He rewound moments. He noted field placements. He tracked bowling changes. He questioned feasibility.
Could he afford a slip in the 28th over? Would he risk a spinner in the powerplay? Was Dhoni reading the batter's body language or just trusting instinct?
It wasn't hero worship.
It was homework.
The Day Drifts By
By the time the bus reached Rohilkhand, the sun was dipping low and the sky had turned amber. The players stretched, collected their kits, and walked toward the guesthouse.
Nikhil stepped off last.
He didn't feel tired.
He felt tuned.
Tomorrow was another match.
But today had been a masterclass.