The morning after Western UP's nail-biting win against Central UP, the team was back in Bijnor. The victory had extended their unbeaten streak to five matches, and the media buzz was growing louder.
But Nikhil Srivatam wasn't basking in it.
He was already thinking about the next game.
The Interview That Didn't Happen
At 7:45 AM, just as the team was finishing breakfast at the guesthouse, Coach Devraj walked over to Nikhil with a folded slip of paper.
"From Cricket Pulse Weekly," he said. "They want a one-on-one interview. National feature. Full-page."
Nikhil glanced at the note. The questions were already listed:
"How do you handle pressure at 16?"
"Is captaincy a burden or a privilege?"
"Who's your cricketing idol?"
"Do you see yourself in the IPL next year?"
He folded the paper and handed it back.
"Not now," he said.
Devraj raised an eyebrow. "You sure? This could be big."
Nikhil nodded. "Let the team speak first. I'll speak later."
There was no drama. No explanation. Just quiet refusal.
The journalist waited outside the stadium for two hours.
He left with an empty notebook.
The Bonding Ritual
Later that afternoon, the team gathered at the local sports complex—not for training, but for something else.
Coach Devraj had arranged a surprise: a team cookout.
No drills. No nets. Just cricket talk, grilled corn, and lemon soda.
Mahesh Yadav brought a Bluetooth speaker and played retro Hindi tracks. Ritesh Yadav tried to teach Ravi Chauhan how to flip a roti on a pan. Siddharth Rawal sat with Veer in his lap, pretending to interview it like a talk show guest.
Nikhil watched from the side, smiling quietly.
Then he joined in.
He took over the grill, flipping corn with surgical precision.
"Captain's touch," someone joked.
"Captain's hunger," Nikhil replied.
They laughed.
For a moment, they weren't zonal contenders.
They were just boys with bats and dreams.
Vijay Hazare Trophy – UP's Match Two
The next day, the UP senior team was scheduled to play their second match in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, this time against Punjab—a team known for aggressive batting and fiery fast bowlers.
Nikhil wasn't playing, but he was watching.
He sat in the media box at the Lucknow stadium, notebook in hand, eyes locked on the field.
The UP squad looked sharper than in their first match. The top order clicked. The bowlers hit their lines. The fielding was electric.
They won by 27 runs.
But the match wasn't remembered for the scoreline.
It was remembered for the fight.
The Flashpoint – Devankar's Clash
In the 33rd over of Punjab's chase, UP's all-rounder Devankar Singh bowled a bouncer that struck the batter on the shoulder.
The batter glared.
Devankar smirked.
Next ball—another bouncer.
The batter ducked, then turned and said something.
Devankar replied.
Words escalated.
The umpire stepped in.
But the damage was done.
After the match, cameras caught Devankar and the Punjab player exchanging heated words near the dressing room tunnel.
The footage went viral.
Headlines screamed:
"Devankar's Fire: Passion or Problem?" "UP Wins, But Tempers Flare"
Nikhil watched it unfold.
He didn't comment.
But he made a note.
Quiet Leadership
That evening, back in Bijnor, the Western UP squad gathered for a strategy session.
Nikhil didn't mention the fight.
He didn't lecture.
He just said:
"We play hard. We play clean. We don't let emotion write our story."
The team nodded.
They understood.
The Night Before
Before lights out, Nikhil sat with Veer under the neem tree behind the guesthouse.
He replayed the day in his mind.
The interview offer. The cookout. The match. The fight.
He didn't judge.
He just observed.
Then he whispered to Veer:
"Fire is good. But family is better."