NEXUS Smart Stadium [PIC]
The morning after the Namakaranam brought a quiet peace to the farmhouse. With relatives returning to the city and flower decorations cleared from the living room, the estate settled back into its normal state.
Because he required almost no sleep, Siddanth managed the night shifts effortlessly, greeting the early morning with ease. Stepping into the bedroom, he found Krithika already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed, folding a few small cotton blankets.
In the center of the room, two intricately carved wooden cradles rested side-by-side.
Approaching the cradle, he saw Rishi staring quietly at the wooden canopy while Aadhya remained fast asleep. Reaching down, Siddanth gently scooped the boy into his left arm, carefully supporting the fragile head, before gathering Aadhya into his right.
Standing tall, he held both babies securely against his chest. Wrapped entirely in soft white blankets with their faces tucked inward, the twins were completely hidden from view.
Meeting Krithika's gaze, he nodded toward the nightstand. "Take my phone. Take a picture."
Setting the folded blankets aside, she picked up the device and opened the camera application. Smiling warmly, Krithika framed the shot carefully, ensuring the babies' faces remained obscured.
A quick tap captured Siddanth standing in the morning light, wearing a simple white t-shirt and cradling the two bundles against his broad chest. He carefully set them back in the cradles.
Taking the phone back, he reviewed the image with a satisfied nod before opening his social media applications. Typing a simple caption:
Thankful to God for blessing us with twins. Meet Rishi and Aadhya. Sharing this joy with all of you.
He pressed send.
Within seconds, the internet realized what had happened. The device instantly began to buzz endlessly, the screen lighting up with thousands of incoming notifications.
Out in the digital world, the timeline flooded with pure celebration.
@FanGirl_Sid: OMG HE POSTED A PICTURE! AND IT'S TWINS! I am literally crying right now! 😭😭❤️❤️
@CricketFanatic99: Congratulations to the Captain! Double blessings for the Deva family!
@BleedBlue_Deva: Rishi and Aadhya! Beautiful names!
@SRH_OrangeArmy: The Orange Army welcomes the newest members! Future champions!
@TollywoodUpdates: Tollywood and Cricket royalty! Congratulations to Siddanth and Krithika!
@SiddanthDevaFC: The way he is holding them! Best father ever!
@MemeLordIndia: Bowlers trying to figure out if there will be two Siddanth Devas hitting sixes in 20 years. 💀
@BlueBrigade: Wishing the twins all the health and happiness in the world!
@DesiMomDaily: God bless the little ones. Tying a black thread right now to ward off the evil eye!
@TechBro_Hyd: The NEXUS heir and heiress have officially arrived.
@CricTruths: A great moment for the captain. Enjoy the break, Sid!
@GullyCricketGod: Future fast bowler and future CEO!
@ViratGang: Cheeku must be demanding to see them on a video call right now!
@Hitman_Squad: Congrats Sid! The cricket family grows larger!
@Deva_Supremacy: The King holding his prince and princess.
@VedicAesthetics: Beautiful traditional names. Rishi and Aadhya.
@BCCI_Insider: The whole board sends their blessings to the skipper and his family.
@Indian_Troll: First time Deva dropped something, and people are actually happy about it. 😂
Back in the quiet bedroom, once they finally drifted off to sleep, Siddanth carefully settled the twins back into their cradles.
The days quickly turned into a steady, repetitive routine. The very scent of the bedroom fundamentally changed. The familiar, sharp smells of Deep Heat muscle rub and freshly cut stadium grass that usually clung to his cricket gear were replaced by the soft, comforting aroma of baby powder, oil, and clean cotton.
Working flawlessly as a team, Siddanth and Krithika managed the transition smoothly. Surprisingly, she did not feel the bone-crushing exhaustion most new mothers experienced. Taking over the entire night shift, Siddanth stayed awake in the dim light, managing work on his tablet while tending to the babies. When they cried at three in the morning, he was there before Krithika could even open her eyes.
The twins already showed distinct personalities. Aadhya was fussy, demanding constant movement, only falling asleep when paced around the room against his chest. Rishi, conversely, was a deep sleeper. When awake, he didn't cry much, preferring to lie in the cradle, observing the room with a calmness mirroring his father entirely.
Beneath the two cradles, Ronny had claimed a permanent spot. The large dog slept right under the swinging wood, acting as a silent, furry guardian. Refusing to let anyone but the parents near the babies, Ronny let out a low, warning growl if even a housemaid walked too close.
Watching them from the other side of the bed, Krithika smiled softly. "She has your eyes. That same intense stare. But Rishi has your nose."
"Rishi has your forehead," Siddanth countered, gently rocking his arm. "He sleeps. She demands attention exactly like her aunt."
While Siddanth stayed in Shamshabad, the Indian cricket team traveled to Sri Lanka.
The Nidahas Trophy, a T20 tri-series between India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, was underway. With Siddanth and Virat Kohli rested, Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy duties. Progressing smoothly through the tournament, the young Indian squad played well under Rohit's leadership.
On a Sunday evening, Siddanth sat in the living room watching the final match of the series. The tension was high, the game going down to the absolute wire. In the final over, Dinesh Karthik hit a massive six off the last ball to win the tournament.
As the players rushed the field and Rohit lifted the trophy, Siddanth immediately fired off a quick congratulatory message to his teammates.
However, out on the internet, the victory sparked widespread praise that slowly began to shift the narrative.
@RohitSharma45_Fan: WHAT A WIN! Rohit Sharma proves it again! Pure captaincy masterclass!
@CricketAnalyst_Pro: The way Rohit rotated the bowlers today in the middle overs won the game. He has a very calm demeanor on the field.
@CricFan_Mum: Rohit's bowling changes today were flawless. He didn't panic when Bangladesh started hitting.
@BlueBrigade: Great tournament for the young squad! Rohit handled the pressure brilliantly.
@Hitman_Era: The team environment looks so relaxed under Rohit. He is a player's captain.
@NeutralCricFan: Both Deva and Rohit are amazing leaders. India is lucky to have such depth in captaincy!
@Rohit_For_Captain: Honestly, it might be time to give Rohit the T20 captaincy. Let Deva focus on ODIs and Tests.
@CricTruths: Rohit just looks more natural leading the white-ball side. Gives players total freedom.
@SiddanthDevaFC: Rohit did great today, but let's not forget Deva literally swept Australia and Sri Lanka just a few months ago!
@Hitman_Squad: Deva runs a tech empire. Give the T20 captaincy to someone who actually breathes cricket year-round!
@Deva_Supremacy: Rohit won a tri-series. Great. Deva won the ASIA CUP and ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY as captain! Levels to this.
@CricketFanatic99: Why are we comparing? Rohit is a fantastic stand-in captain. Deva is the main man. Both are needed.
@SRH_OrangeArmy: SRH dominates every season under Deva. Most successful captain in franchise history. Stop the disrespect.
@BleedBlue_Deva: Did we all forget Deva's win percentage is over 85%? The memory of some fans is so short.
@Rohit_Supremacy: It's not about win percentage, it's about approachability. Rohit stays with the boys.
@Deccan_Nostalgia: Remember 2011? Deva won the IPL at 20 as a captain. The man was born to lead.
@CricketStats_Hub: Comparing a tri-series win against Bangladesh to a Champions Trophy victory is factually ridiculous.
@Deva_Is_King: Rohit is fantastic, but taking the captaincy from a guy who holds all the major trophies is a joke.
@CricSpy_Journalist: Seeing a lot of debate on the timeline today. BCCI sources say they are happy with the current setup, but Rohit's success hasn't gone unnoticed.
The debate gradually shifted from tactics to commitment, fueled by speculative journalism.
@Hitman_Daily: We all agree Deva has a great record. But where is his commitment? He takes too many leaves!
@Mumbai_Cricket_Fan: He took 3 months off for his wedding last year. Now he takes 3 months off for his twins. He is never with the team!
@Cricket_Truths: Add the 2 months of IPL. That leaves roughly half the year for the national side. You cannot bond if you skip tours!
@BlueBrigade_Mumbai: Team bonding suffers when the captain is absent. Rohit stays in the hotel with the boys. Deva stays in his mansion.
@Deva_Supremacy: His leaves didn't stop him from winning the ICC Champions Trophy, did it? He performs when it matters.
@SiddanthDevaFC: He scores runs every time he comes back! His form never dips. He doesn't need to play meaningless bilaterals.
@SRH_OrangeArmy: Deva literally bowled 150km/h after coming back from his wedding break. The man works hard at home.
@CricketFanatic99: Family comes first. You people are hating on a man for being with his pregnant wife. Unbelievable.
@StatNerd_Ind: Form is temporary, class is permanent. But Deva's form is also permanent.
@CricInsider_Leak: Hearing whispers from BCCI corridors. Some senior officials are allegedly concerned about Deva's prolonged absences affecting dressing room morale.
@BlueBrigade: Wait, is this true? Are players actually complaining?
@Gauti_Fan_Delhi: The issue isn't just leaves; it's his sheer arrogance. Deva doesn't respect seniors.
@KKR_Knights_Rider: Remember the 2014 IPL Final? Deva and Gambhir's massive fight? Gambhir knew back then Deva was too arrogant to lead.
@Gautam_Army: Gambhir always played for the country. Deva plays for his own ego and his corporate brand.
@Delhi_Cric_Hub: Deva is ruthless. Rohit would never curse at his own players on the field.
@Deva_Supremacy: Here comes the KKR fans crying about 2014 again. Deva won that final. And also Shakib Al Hassan should have shut his mouth that time; he just had to go and provoke Deva.
@SRH_OrangeArmy: Deva backed up his aggression by taking wickets. He didn't just talk.
@CricTruths_Daily: Anonymous source claims younger players find the current captaincy "unapproachable" and prefer Rohit's relaxed style. But where's the proof?
The speculation reached a boiling point when a specific rumor hit the timeline.
@Sports_Spy: Huge rumor dropping: Siddanth Deva explicitly fought selectors to drop Yuvraj Singh before the 2017 Champions Trophy.
@CricInsider: Confirming the rumor. Apparently, he called older players "statues in the outfield" during a closed-door meeting.
@YuviPaaji_Fan: WHAT?! Is this actually true?! If he disrespected the man who won us two World Cups, I'm done.
@GoldenEraCric: I won't believe this without a credible source. Sounds like a hit piece perfectly timed after Rohit's win.
@Yuvi_Blood: If this leak is true, we are boycotting Sunrisers Hyderabad matches in Punjab! You don't disrespect our heroes!
@MumbaiIndiansArmy: Deva wants total control. He wants yes-men. He wanted to push Yuvraj out to consolidate power.
@SiddanthDevaFC: Even if the quote is true, Yuvraj was struggling with fitness last year. Deva makes practical decisions, not emotional ones!
@StatNerd_Ind: Check the fielding stats from 2017. Deva wasn't wrong. You can't carry players based on past glory in the modern game.
@YuviPaaji_Fan: You do not call a legend a "statue"! This is unacceptable behavior from a national captain!
@PunjabKings_Fan: Boycott SRH! #RohitForCaptain
@TechBro_Delhi: Funny how #RohitForCaptain is trending right when Nexus announces its new Q1 earnings. Timing is suspicious.
@MumbaiPaltan_Blue: Stop blaming PR for everything. The fans are genuinely tired of a part-time corporate captain.
@Hitman_Squad: Exactly. He is a corporate dictator. He runs the team like he runs his tech company.
@GautamGambhir (Verified): Security and calmness win tournaments, not individual arrogance. A secure dressing room creates champions. Well played, Rohit and the young team.
@CricFan_Mum: Even Gambhir agrees! A subtle shot, but the message is clear.
@Deva_Is_King: Taking a subtle subtweet shot won't change the fact that Deva holds all the trophies, Gauti.
@Rohit_Supremacy: The entire country is waking up. Rohit handles the team like a family man. Deva handles it like a business transaction.
@SRH_OrangeArmy: A business transaction that wins World Cups and Champions Trophies. I'll take it over friendly defeats any day.
@NeutralCricket: This timeline is a mess right now. Media is having a field day pitting them against each other.
@CricketTruths: The IPL cannot start soon enough. Let them settle this on the pitch.
@BCCI_Watcher: Grab your popcorn. SRH vs MI in match 1 of the IPL is going to be absolute cinema.
Back at the Shamshabad farmhouse, the evening remained incredibly quiet.
The lights in the ground-floor bedroom were dim. Sitting cross-legged on the large bed, Siddanth watched Krithika seated across from him. Rishi and Aadhya lay on their backs in the middle of the mattress, resting comfortably between their parents.
Dangling a small, soft cloth toy above Rishi's face, he watched the boy reach tiny hands upward, trying to grab it. Aadhya cooed softly, keeping her eyes fixed on Krithika.
The room was perfectly peaceful.
Suddenly, a soft chime sounded from the ceiling speakers.
"Sir," VEDA spoke clearly, breaking the silence.
Stopping the toy's movement, Siddanth answered, "Yes, Veda."
"I have completed the daily sentiment analysis across major social media platforms," the AI stated. "There is a coordinated spike in negative engagement directed at your public profile, originating shortly after the conclusion of the Nidahas Trophy."
Frowning, Krithika looked up at the ceiling. "What kind of negative engagement?"
"Multiple sports accounts released unverified reports regarding internal selection meetings for the 2017 Champions Trophy," VEDA explained. "Specifically, highlighting a fabricated quote calling older players 'statues in the outfield.' This information catalyzed a large-scale debate comparing Siddanth's captaincy and commitment levels against Rohit Sharma."
Siddanth's phone, resting on the bedside table, vibrated with an incoming text from Arjun.
Arjun: The trending hashtags are gaining corporate traction. We're seeing minor fluctuations in online brand sentiment due to the negative PR. Should we deploy countermeasures?
Krithika's expression tightened. "They leaked a selection meeting?" she asked, worry creeping into her voice. "They are questioning your commitment. Should we release a counter-statement? A press release?"
"No," Siddanth vetoed smoothly, reaching out to gently stroke Aadhya's soft cheek. "Never respond to noise with more noise."
"But they are organizing boycotts," she argued softly, protective instincts flaring. "It looks like a coordinated attack. Someone is intentionally pushing a PR campaign to damage your image and promote Rohit."
"It is just a PR game. People have short memories. They see a new trophy, and they start writing new narratives. The media needs engagement."
"Sir," VEDA interrupted politely. "I have traced the IP addresses of the initial leak accounts. They link to a specific sports management firm in Mumbai. Do you wish for me to compile a dossier on the exact identities coordinating this attack?"
Krithika waited for his command.
Remaining entirely unbothered, Siddanth picked Rishi up gently from the bed, cradling the boy against his chest. "No need. I do not care who they are."
"Sir?" VEDA asked, requiring confirmation.
"Do not trace them. Do not suppress the tags," he ordered, looking at Krithika with a confident smile spreading across his face.
"I do not need to play digital PR games with journalists, Krithi," he said, eyes carrying absolute certainty. "I will answer whoever they are on the pitch."
Picking up his tablet from the nightstand, he turned the screen toward her. Opening the official schedule for the upcoming IPL season, he pointed to the very first match highlighted on the calendar.
Match 1: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Mumbai Indians.
Deva versus Rohit.
"Ok, sir," VEDA acknowledged, shutting down the audio channel.
Setting the tablet down, Siddanth went back to playing with his son, leaving the internet to argue. The real game was about to begin on the grass.