The sun over the Deccan Plateau finally dipped below the horizon, giving way to the Hyderabad night.
Inside Nexus smart staduim, sixty-five thousand people filled the stands. The noise echoed through the stadium.
The 2022 season had arrived.
Down in the center of the outfield, Siddanth Deva walked toward the pitch.
He wore the new Sunrisers Hyderabad jersey.
He reached the center and shook hands with Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson.
Match referee Javagal Srinath stood between them with the commemorative coin. Ian Bishop stepped forward.
"A spectacular evening here in Hyderabad," Bishop's voice echoed through the stadium. "Sanju, you are the visiting captain. Call it, please."
Srinath flipped the coin.
"Tails," Samson called.
The coin landed on the dry surface.
"It is heads," Srinath confirmed.
Bishop turned to Deva.
"Siddanth, you have won the toss. What are you going to do?"
"We're going to bowl first, Ian," Deva answered.
"And the reasoning?"
"It is a good batting pitch, but it has been under the covers for two days. There should be some initial moisture, and the new lights should help the ball move early. The dew should also come in later. We want to know what we are chasing, and we back our bowlers to execute."
"A confident assessment," Bishop noted. "Could you take us through your playing eleven?"
Deva didn't need a sheet of paper.
"David Warner and Abhishek Sharma will open the batting. Kane Williamson at three, Heinrich Klaasen at four. I will bat at five, followed by David Miller. Our bowling unit is Arjun Tendulkar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, and T. Natarajan."
Bishop nodded. "Good luck tonight, Siddanth."
"Thank you, Ian."
As the captains returned to their dugouts, the broadcast showed the new stadium.
Meanwhile a section was separated from the main stadium seating by security railings but remained open to the stadium. The crowd noise, food, and warm Hyderabad air reached them directly.
Industrial air coolers had been positioned around the section to help with the heat.
Krithika sat in the front row wearing an orange and black cotton kurta. Beside her was her best friend, Kavya.
Kavya was holding an Nexus tablet, going through wedding arrangements.
"I am telling you, Krithika," Kavya said, tapping the screen. "If the wedding planner suggests white orchids one more time, I am going to lose my mind. I specifically said marigolds and jasmine for the Haldi ceremony."
Krithika laughed.
"The white orchids look elegant."
"They look like a corporate lobby!"
"I wish Riya was here," Kavya sighed.
"Riya is trying to convince a one-year-old to eat mashed carrots." Krithika replied.
Rishi and Aadhya were in a play area set up for players' families. David Warner's daughters, Ivy Mae, Indi Rae, and Isla Rose, were there as well.
Aadhya was running around with Indi Rae, wearing a miniature SRH jersey with DEVA 6 on the back.
Rishi sat nearby with a bowl of popcorn, watching the activity on the field.
His eyes followed the umpires and groundsmen rather than the children around him.
Krithika turned back to Kavya.
"Siddanth and I had a long conversation about this before the twins were born. If we put them in a soundproof glass box, we teach them that the world is something to watch from a distance."
She looked at Aadhya.
"He wants them grounded. He wants them to hear the noise and feel the heat. He wants them to understand that the people in these stands are the reason he has a career. If they grow up in a glass box, they'll become sheltered. Out here, all of this becomes normal."
Kavya nodded.
"It's a good philosophy."
"They do own the place," Krithika laughed. "Let's watch the match. I think Bhuvi has the new ball."
Down on the field, Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal walked out.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar stood at the top of his mark.
Deva stood at mid-off and gave him a single nod.
The 2022 season had officially begun.
Bhuvi ran in.
He bowled around 134 kmph, pitching the first five deliveries on a good length outside off to Jaiswal. The ball moved away late, beating the outside edge twice.
On the final ball of the over, Bhuvi changed his wrist position.
The delivery pitched on the same length before swinging back into Jaiswal. The batsman tried to defend, but the ball struck his front pad.
The umpire raised his finger.
Bhuvi had struck in the first over.
Rajasthan was 4 for 1.
T. Natarajan took the ball from the other end. He bowled a tight length, making life difficult for Devdutt Padikkal.
In the fourth over, Natarajan bowled a slower delivery. Padikkal tried to hit over mid-on, misread the pace, and chipped the ball toward Kane Williamson, who took the catch.
Rajasthan was 28 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.
Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson then settled the innings. They rotated the strike, punished loose balls, and built a partnership.
By the tenth over, Rajasthan was 75 for 2. Dew was beginning to settle on the field.
Deva needed a wicket.
He handed the ball to Arjun Tendulkar.
Arjun ran in from over the wicket to Samson.
Samson expected the ball to angle across him. Instead, Arjun used a cross-seam grip, hit the deck, and produced a ball that skidded off the surface.
Samson pulled, but the extra bounce produced a top edge.
David Miller settled underneath it and took the catch.
Arjun pumped his fist as Deva walked over and gave him a high-five.
In the next over, Arjun bowled a 142 kmph yorker that crashed into Shimron Hetmyer's stumps.
Rajasthan was 92 for 4.
Deva introduced Yuzvendra Chahal.
Chahal, back in the orange jersey, attacked the batsmen despite the wet conditions. He tossed the ball up, using his drift to create doubt.
Riyan Parag misread a googly and was bowled.
Later, Chahal had Ravichandran Ashwin caught in the deep by Abhishek Sharma.
Chahal finished with 2 for 24.
Rajasthan was 120 for 6 in the 16th over.
Jos Buttler was still there, batting on 68.
Deva turned toward Umran Malik.
The young fast bowler took off his cap.
The crowd reacted immediately.
Deva walked over.
"The wrist, Umran," he reminded him, tapping his own wrist. "Lock the iron. Pull the seam straight down. Look at the base of the off-stump."
Umran nodded.
He turned and ran in.
The speed gun flashed.
153.8 kmph.
Buttler barely had time to react. The ball pitched on a hard length and climbed past his outside edge.
Klaasen took it cleanly.
Umran returned to his mark.
The next delivery registered:
154.2 kmph.
Buttler tried to carve the ball over point. It caught the outside edge, but Klaasen threw himself across and took the catch.
Buttler was gone.
Umran roared and was surrounded by his teammates.
He continued to trouble the lower order. A 155 kmph yorker bowled Trent Boult, and another short delivery produced a top edge that was caught at short leg.
Umran finished with 3 for 18.
Rajasthan was 158 for 9.
Deva took the ball himself.
He bowled an off-cutter that gripped despite the dew. The final batsman swung across the line, offering a return catch.
Deva took it.
He had bowled 2 overs for 10 runs and taken 1 wicket.
Rajasthan was bowled out for 164.
The SRH players left the field to a standing ovation.
In the VIP section, Krithika clapped. Rishi stood near the railing, watching his father enter the tunnel.
Aadhya was asleep across two chairs, unaware of the noise.
The mid-innings break was short.
The outfield was wet with dew.
Defending 164 against the new SRH batting lineup would be difficult.
David Warner and Abhishek Sharma walked out.
Warner began aggressively.
When Trent Boult tried to swing the ball, Warner stepped across and launched him over deep square leg for six.
At the other end, Abhishek attacked the spin. When Ravichandran Ashwin came on, the young left-hander stepped down the track and lofted him over long-off.
SRH reached 78 in the powerplay.
When Warner fell in the tenth over, he had scored 58 off 32 balls.
Kane Williamson walked out.
He played a different role, rotating the strike and keeping the required rate under control.
Abhishek was dismissed for 45 in the 14th over.
Heinrich Klaasen came in and attacked immediately, hitting three sixes against the spinners.
The SRH dugout remained relaxed.
Deva sat without pads, watching the chase.
He had built the squad so he wouldn't need to carry the batting every night.
The plan was working.
In the 16th over, Klaasen punched a wide delivery through the covers.
The ball reached the boundary.
The stadium erupted.
SRH had chased 165 with eight wickets in hand and nearly four overs remaining.
The players shook hands.
Deva walked onto the field and congratulated Warner and Klaasen before offering Sanju Samson a respectful nod.
The stadium lights shone across the field while the LED facade outside displayed orange.
The crowd remained in their seats, celebrating the return of their team.
Deva walked toward the South Stand.
He looked up at the VIP section.
Krithika was standing near the railing, smiling and waving.
The moment Aadhya saw her father walking toward them, her expression changed.
"Nana!"
She immediately ran toward the railing.
"Aadhya, slow down!" Krithika called, quickly stepping in front of her before she could climb onto the barrier.
Aadhya stopped.
She looked through the railing toward Deva, who was now only a few meters away.
"Nana!" she cried again, stretching both arms toward him.
Krithika gently caught her around the waist.
"Wait, sweetheart. Don't climb over."
Aadhya's face crumpled.
She began crying, reaching toward Deva through the railing.
"Nana! Nana!"
Deva looked up and immediately understood what was happening.
He walked closer to the barrier.
"Krithi," he called over the noise. "Just hand her over the railing."
Krithika hesitated for a second before nodding.
She lifted Aadhya carefully toward the railing.
The moment Aadhya saw Deva reaching for her, she stopped crying.
Her hands immediately stretched toward him.
Deva took her securely into his arms, pulling her against his chest.
"There we go," he said, kissing the top of her head. "What happened to my brave girl?"
Aadhya wrapped both arms around his neck.
Deva adjusted her against his hip and looked at Krithika with a smile.
"What did you do for the whole match?"
Aadhya immediately became animated.
"I played!" she announced.
"You played?"
"Yes!"
Deva smiled.
"With who?"
"Indi!" Aadhya replied immediately. "And Ivy. And Isla."
"Ah, so you made friends."
Aadhya nodded vigorously.
"We played tag. And hide-and-seek. And Rishi didn't play."
Deva glanced toward his son.
"Why didn't Rishi play?"
Aadhya shrugged.
"He watched the cricket."
Deva laughed.
"Of course he did."
Aadhya continued, becoming more animated with every sentence.
"We played with the chairs too. And I had popcorn. Indi gave me some. And I showed her how to run fast."
"Did you?"
"Yes. I won."
Deva raised an eyebrow.
"You won?"
Aadhya nodded with confidence.
"I always win."
Krithika laughed from behind the railing.
"She also stole popcorn from Rishi three times."
Deva looked down at his daughter.
"Did you steal your brother's popcorn?"
Aadhya shook her head immediately.
"No."
Deva looked at Krithika.
"She's lying."
"I know," Krithika replied.
Aadhya buried her face against Deva's shoulder, laughing.
Deva kissed the side of her head.
"You had a good time, then?"
"Best time," Aadhya declared.
Deva smiled.
"I'm glad."
He looked back toward the field.
"We won."
"I know," Aadhya said proudly. "Nana won."
Deva chuckled.
"Not alone."
Deva began lifting Aadhya back toward the railing.
"Alright, monster. Back to Amma."
The moment her feet touched the other side, Aadhya immediately tightened her arms around Deva's neck.
"No!"
Deva blinked.
"No?"
"No Amma. Nana."
Krithika reached for her.
"Aadhya, come here."
Aadhya shook her head and clung tighter.
"No!"
Deva sighed, looking at his wife.
"I'll give her to you inside."
Krithika laughed and shook her head.
Krithika shook her head, already knowing the battle wasn't worth fighting.
"Fine. Take her. She'll probably behave better for you anyway."
Deva smiled.
"That's because she knows I'm easier to manipulate."
Aadhya looked pleased with herself.
"Yes."
Krithika laughed.
"At least she's honest."
Deva turned away from the railing with Aadhya in his arms.
The moment they moved away from the boundary, Aadhya settled against his chest, one arm around his neck while her other hand rested on his shoulder.
She wasn't interested in being put down anymore.
Instead, she watched everything around her.
The players walking toward the tunnel.
The staff carrying equipment.
The giant screens replaying highlights.
The grounds crew moving across the field.
Every few seconds, she pointed at something.
"Nana, what is that?"
"That's the camera crane."
"What it does?"
"It records the match."
"Why so big?"
"Because the camera has to see the whole field."
A few steps later—
"Nana, why that man is running?"
"He's security."
"Why?"
"Because there are sixty-five thousand people here."
Aadhya considered that.
"Too many."
"Exactly."
She leaned against his shoulder again, watching the players nearby.
Deva walked toward the tunnel, occasionally answering another question.
Behind them, Krithika gathered Rishi's things while waving toward Deva.
As they reached the entrance to the players' tunnel, Abhishek Sharma noticed the little girl in Deva's arms.
He slowed down.
"Captain," Abhishek called, smiling. "Is this your daughter?"
Deva turned.
"Yes. This is Aadhya."
Abhishek stepped closer but stopped a little distance away.
"Hi, Aadhya. I'm Abhishek."
Aadhya looked at him silently.
She then looked up at Deva.
"Who?"
Deva laughed.
"That's Abhishek. He plays for our team."
Aadhya looked back at Abhishek.
"You play cricket?"
"Yes."
"Are you good?"
Abhishek laughed.
"I try to be."
Aadhya considered that.
"Nana is better."
Deva immediately covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.
Abhishek looked at him.
"Captain, you've raised a very diplomatic child."
Aadhya looked at Abhishek again.
"Did you win?"
"We did."
"You hit the ball?"
"I did."
"How many?"
Abhishek looked at Deva.
"She is asking for my score already?"
Deva shrugged.
"She's an analyst."
Abhishek grinned.
"I scored forty-five."
Aadhya looked impressed.
"That's a lot."
"It is."
"Can you run fast?"
Abhishek laughed.
"I can run pretty fast."
Aadhya nodded.
"Okay."
Abhishek looked amused.
"Was that my audition?"
"Yes," Deva replied.
Just then, Chahal came walking out of the dressing-room corridor.
He spotted Aadhya and immediately changed direction.
"Captain!"
Deva looked over.
"Yuzi, this is Aadhya."
"Hello, Aadhya."
Aadhya looked at him.
"Who are you?"
Chahal placed a hand on his chest.
"I'm Yuzi."
Aadhya waited.
Chahal grinned.
"I play cricket with your Nana."
"Oh."
Chahal looked at Deva.
"That's it? Just 'oh'?"
Deva laughed.
"She doesn't know you."
Chahal turned back to Aadhya.
"I'm a bowler."
"You throw the ball?"
"Yes."
"Very fast?"
"Sometimes."
Aadhya pointed toward Deva.
"Nana throws fast."
Chahal nodded.
"Your Nana throws very fast."
Aadhya thought about that.
"Can you throw faster?"
Chahal looked offended.
"Excuse me? I'm one of the best spinners in the world."
Aadhya stared at him.
"You don't look like a spinner."
Abhishek burst out laughing.
Deva had to turn away.
Chahal put a hand over his heart.
"Captain, your daughter has just insulted me."
Deva looked back at him.
"She's four. You're going to have to recover."
Chahal crouched again.
"Listen, Aadhya. I may not look like a spinner, but I can do this."
He picked up a small training ball from a nearby equipment basket and held it between his fingers.
He spun it across his palm.
Aadhya's eyes widened.
She leaned forward immediately.
"How you do that?"
Chahal smiled.
"Magic."
"Do it again."
Chahal spun the ball again.
Aadhya watched carefully.
"Can I do?"
"Not with this one. It's too small for you."
Aadhya frowned.
"I can do."
"I believe you," Chahal said. "We'll get you your own ball."
"Pink one."
Chahal nodded solemnly.
"Pink one."
Deva shook his head.
"You've known her for thirty seconds and you're already making promises."
Chahal smiled.
"Captain, she has excellent negotiating skills."
Abhishek stepped closer.
"She gets that from him."
He pointed at Deva.
Deva gave him a look.
"Careful."
Aadhya looked between them.
"You both play with Nana?"
"Yes," Abhishek said.
"All of you?"
Chahal nodded.
"All of us."
Aadhya looked down the tunnel, where more players were moving around.
"So many."
Deva smiled.
"These are your new friends."
Aadhya leaned against him, still watching everyone around her.
The players continued toward the dressing room, and Deva followed with Aadhya in his arms.
Abhishek walked beside them, still talking to her about the match. Chahal stayed on the other side, answering each new question she came up with.
"Did you win every game?" Aadhya asked.
"No," Abhishek replied.
"Why?"
"Because cricket doesn't work like that."
Aadhya looked confused.
"Nana wins."
Chahal laughed.
"Your Nana thinks he wins every game."
"He does."
Deva looked down at her.
"You are making me sound arrogant."
"You win."
Abhishek laughed.
"Captain, I think she's your biggest fan."
"That part I knew."
They continued down the tunnel, Aadhya now pointing at every new piece of equipment she saw.
"Nana, what is that?"
"Bowling machine."
"What does it do?"
"It throws cricket balls."
"Can I use?"
"When you're older."
"How old?"
"Older than four."
Aadhya thought about it.
"Five?"
"Much older."
"Six?"
Deva smiled.
"We'll negotiate."
Aadhya seemed satisfied with that answer.
As they disappeared deeper into the tunnel, the noise of the stadium became quieter behind them.
Deva carried his daughter toward the dressing room, with Abhishek and Chahal on either side, both happily answering her endless questions.
For the first time that evening, Deva wasn't thinking about the match, the scoreboard, or the season ahead.
He was simply enjoying being her father.
The 2022 season had begun with a win.
And now, with Aadhya attached to him like glue and two of his young teammates already entertaining her, the journey back to the dressing room felt just as important as anything that had happened on the field.