Chapter 28 28: Typical slap in the face (3218 words)

Author's Note:🏆

On readers' demand. I'm doing this for the first time...

Weekly Power Stone ♦️ Goals:

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Let's see how far we can climb this week! 🚀

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And, If you like the story, remember to give a review. It'll motivate me to continue with same passion ✌️😁

(Currently, only update 4 chapters per week and will bonus chapters if we cross the targets)

******

The Ahmedabad rain was relentless.

For forty-eight hours, the Mumbai Indians squad was confined to the marble hallways of their hotel.

While the veterans used the break to recover, for Rocky Rudra, the silence was deafening.

The rhythm he had built in Jaipur, that red hot form, was slowly being dampened by the humidity and the forced inactivity.

When the news finally came that the match against Otago was abandoned, the disappointment in the camp was palpable.

Rocky stood by the window, his kit bag already packed, staring at the flooded outfield.

The fire was still there, but it was starting to flicker.

___

Match 3: Mumbai Indians vs. Highveld Lions

Venue: Ahmedabad (Finally cleared)

The conditions were overcast, the air heavy with moisture, a complete contrast to the dry heat of Jaipur.

The pitch had been under covers for days and was fucking tacky.

Rocky walked out with Sachin, but something felt off.

The feet weren't dancing.

They were heavy.

Sohail Tanvir, the unorthodox left-armer, was charging in.

Over 2.4:

Tanvir delivered a ball that stopped in the pitch. It was a length ball that should have been pulled, but the dampness made it hold.

Rocky went for his signature pull, but he was through the shot too early.

The ball took the leading edge and looped gently to mid-on.

Rocky Rudra c. Petersen b. Tanvir 9 (11).

As Rocky walked back, the Highveld Lions players didn't celebrate like they usually do.

Tanvir did his signature "chainsaw" celebration, and the silence from the MI fans in the stands was deafening.

It looked like they had won the World Cup.

They knew they hadn't just taken a wicket.

They had pierced the armor of the most feared teenager in cricketing world, right now.

___

In the Commentary Box.

The atmosphere in the commentary box reflected the sudden shift in the narrative.

The Highveld Lions players were still high-fiving as Rocky Rudra began the long walk back to the pavilion.

Harsha Bhogle: "Nine runs. After those 644 runs in the IPL that put him on the map, and that incredible 1,145-run streak in Chennai, followed by the 135 in Jaipur... Rocky Rudra has finally proven, that he's a human. It's almost a shocking moment to see him walking back before the powerplay is even over. But look at the Lions, they are celebrating like they've found the secret code to the safe!"

Sourav Ganguly: "It's the rhythm, Harsha. You cannot ignore the impact of that washout in Ahmedabad. For a young player who thrives on momentum, sitting in a hotel room for four days is the worst thing that can happen. His hands looked a bit slow, his feet stayed glued to the crease. Sohail Tanvir didn't get him out. He just exploited a cooling-down period."

___

In the world of Indian cricket, you are only as good as your last three balls.

By the time the news reached the digital world, the honeymoon period was over.

The Media:

Mid-Day ran a small column:

"Flash in the Pan? Rudra Struggles with Unorthodox Pace."

Expert Opinion, Sanjay Manjrekar:

"We saw it tonight. When the pitch isn't a highway and the bowler has a bit of 'trickery' like Tanvir, Rudra's high back-lift becomes a liability. He was late on the ball. Is he a flat-track bully? It's a question that needs asking."

Unbearable, isn't he?

When life gives you a 2nd chance, be like that sanju, not this sanju.😂

___

The Twitter Civil War: #RockyRudra

Within minutes, the "Doubt Campaign" exploded, but the defense was just as fierce.

However, Indian cricket fans don't just offer support. They also doubt, even troll and abuse but most importantly, you can't ignore their resolves when it comes to protecting their own.

The Ragebait posts:

@CricketAgnostic: "9 runs off 11 balls. The 'Impossible Centurion' just looked impossible to watch. Tanvir exposed the high back-lift. One-season wonder alert! 🚨 #CLT20 #FraudWatch"

@DhoniGuru: "The Rocky hype train has officially derailed. One good innings in Jaipur doesn't make you Ponting. 9 runs today showed his technical flaws. #CLT20 #MIvLions"

The Counter-Attack:

@MIPaltan_Army: "Are you kidding me? He has 1,145 runs in 15 days in Chennai and 644 runs in his debut IPL season in just 10 matches. One bad knock in a swamp after 48 hours of rain and you're calling him a fraud? Go back to school, kids! 🤡 #DefendRocky"

@OdiaPride_Cricket: "One 9-run inning in T20 after 12 innings madness? Statistics aren't for people with short-term memory. He's 18! Let him breathe. The Storm is just recharging. 🌪️ #RockyRudra"

@StatMan_Deepak: "Reminder: Rocky's SR in 2013 is still 185+. People calling him a 'flat-track bully' clearly missed him surviving the red-ball grind in the Buchi Babu tournament, even in IPL final, in slow pitch, he scored more than your idolo. One ball stopping in the damp doesn't erase a legacy. Relax."

@FanZone: "Was it just luck in the first game? Watson was poor, but Tanvir showed Rocky his place today. Let's see if he can even survive the Scorchers."

__

Despite the noise, MI managed to scrap their way to a win thanks to a brilliant 50 from Rohit Sharma and some death-bowling magic by Mitchell Johnson.

They were through, but the "Invincible" tag around Rocky had been replaced by a question mark.

___

Then came the Final Group Game:

MI vs. Perth Scorchers

Venue: Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

The atmosphere in Delhi was tense.

The Scorchers were known for their "Chin Music", fast, aggressive short-pitched bowling.

They had been chirping in the media about how they had mapped out Rocky's weaknesses.

The captains met in the middle of the smoggy Delhi afternoon.

Rohit Sharma and Simon Katich.

"Heads," called Katich.

Perth Scorchers won the toss and elected to bowl.

Ravi Shastri: "Simon, you've seen the wonder boy, Rocky Rudra. He was struggling in the last game. Is there a plan for him?"

Simon Katich replied with a smirk, "We're Australians, Ravi. We know how to handle Punter's clones. We've got some pace in the shed, and we're going to test his chin today. Let's see how much fire he's got left."

When it was Rohit Sharma turn, he just shrugged, "People have a lot to say when someone fails once. It's funny, really. Rocky isn't bothered by the noise, and neither are we. He's opening. He's ready."

As the MI openers geared up, the cameras zoomed in on Rocky.

He was sitting alone in the dugout, obsessively re-taping his bat handle.

He wasn't scrolling through the hate-tweets, but he could feel the shift in the atmosphere.

He picked up his bat, feeling the familiar weight of the willow.

He didn't look at the Scorchers. He didn't even look at the cameras.

'They think nine runs is my story. They think the rain put out the fire. They want to test my 'chin', huh? Fine. Let them come.'

___

As Rocky walks past the Scorchers' huddle, he hears a sledge from James

Muirhead:

"Hey kid, hope you brought a sturdier helmet tonight!"

Rocky didn't look back. He just tapped his bat on the ground, his eyes fixed on the 22 yards that were about to become a battlefield.

____

The Feroz Shah Kotla was a haze of floodlights and dust, the thick Delhi air clinging to the jerseys of the players.

The crowd was a restless ocean of blue, waiting to see if the "Rocky Storm" had truly passed or if the Scorchers were about to be hit by the eye of the hurricane.

As they reached the center of the pitch, Sachin Tendulkar and Rocky Rudra met mid-pitch for their customary pre-match routine.

Rocky reached out, his gloves clashing against Sachin's with a sharp, metallic thud.

"Paaji," Rocky's voice was low, devoid of its usual tremor of respect.

"Let me take over today. I want to play the entire Powerplay. I need to make these guys shut up."

Sachin didn't answer immediately.

He looked deep into Rocky's eyes, the same eyes that had stared down Mitchell Johnson in the nets.

Sachin had seen that look before. He had seen it in the mirror before Desert Storm in '98.

He had seen it in a young Virat Kohli.

It was the look of a man who didn't just want to score runs, but wanted to erase the very memory of his failure.

Sachin gave a single, firm nod. "The stage is yours, Beta. Show them who you are."

___

The Star Cricket broadcast was a battleground of opinions.

The split-screen showed the global panel:

Atheton and Hussain from the UK, and Hayden and Gilchrist from Australia.

Nasser Hussain: "The honeymoon is over, isn't it? The Lions exposed a technical gap. If the Perth Scorchers get the ball to nip back, young Rudra might find himself back in the dugout before the advertisements are over."

Matthew Hayden leaned forward, "I don't know, Nas. Look at the way he's marking his guard. He's digging that crease like he's claiming territory. He looks like Punter when someone had chirped at him. He isn't nervous. He's insulted but didn't fight back with words. The Scorchers might have poked the wrong bear."

Navjot Singh Sidhu: "Oye Guru! A lion doesn't lose sleep over the opinion of sheep! Nine runs is a comma, not a full stop! Today, the bat will do the talking and the critics will do the walking!"

___

Nathan Coulter-Nile took the new ball.

He was the quintessential Aussie pacer, tall, aggressive, and fast.

He had been one of the loudest in the media about Rocky being "overhyped."

Ball 0.1:

146kph. A searing delivery aimed at the top of off-stump, nipping back just a fraction.

Rocky didn't move an inch more than necessary. His front foot stayed planted, his bat came down like a guillotine, straight, clinical, and perfectly centered.

The ball hit the middle of the bat and died at his feet. A dead-bat defense of absolute silence.

No ego. No flash. Just total control.

Ball 0.2: Coulter-Nile, sensing the "shy" approach, dug it in short and wide, offering the bait.

Rocky's high back-lift triggered. He didn't just pull it. He slashed it over point. It wasn't a grounder, it was a bullet that cleared the rope in three seconds.

6 Runs.

Ball 0.3: Frustrated, the bowler went for the ribs, a hard-length delivery.

Rocky leaned back, his balance perfect. He played a short-arm jab, a shot straight out of the Ricky Ponting manual, sending the ball screaming through mid-wicket.

4 Runs.

Ball 0.4: Coulter-Nile tried to follow him. A pacy delivery aimed at the pads.

Rocky flicked his wrists. It was a blur of motion. The ball disappeared into the backward square leg fence before the fielder could even react.

4 Runs.

Ball 0.5: The bowler was now visibly rattled, his rhythm broken. He over-pitched, searching for the yorker.

Rocky stayed still. He didn't over-hit.

He just timed a straight drive that scorched the grass, passing Coulter-Nile before he could even complete his follow-through.

6 Runs.

Ball 0.6:

The final ball. The stadium was roaring. Coulter-Nile looked broken.

Rocky calmly tapped a length ball toward cover and set off for a sharp, urgent single.

1 run.

Over 1: 21 Runs (0, 6, 4, 4, 6, 1)

___

As Rocky crossed paths with James Muirhead, who was standing at mid-on, he slowed down his stride.

As he crossed paths with James Muirhead, Rocky slowed his stride. Ignoring the frustrated bowler, he leaned toward the young Aussie who had sledged him earlier.

"Hey Muirhead!" Rocky's tone was dangerously casual. "Tell your boys to get those sturdier helmets ready. It's going to be a long night for you guys."

After saying that, he didn't wait for a reply.

He reached the non-striker's end and leaned on his bat, having successfully retained the strike.

He watched with a cold stare as the Perth fielders were forced to reset around him, knowing he'd be the one waiting for them at the other end to start the next over for more massacre.

MI: 21/0 (1.0 Over)

Rocky Rudra: 21* (6)

___

In the Commentary box.

(Different Povs)

The energy in the Star Cricket booth was electric.

The split-screen was working overtime, showing the stone-cold face of Rocky Rudra and the increasingly panicked expression of Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Ball 0.1: The Dead-Bat Defense (0)

Harsha Bhogle: "That is the sound of a man who hasn't come here to play games. Solid. Compact. Right under the eyes."

Matthew Hayden: "Look at the balance, Harsha. Most youngsters would have tried to slash at that after the 9-run failure in the last game and intense media trolling. He's telling Coulter-Nile: 'You aren't getting through my gate tonight.'"

Nasser Hussain: "It's a statement of intent. It's saying, 'I'm back, and I'm disciplined.' The silence of that bat was louder than a shout."

Ball 0.2: The Slash over Point (6)

Harsha Bhogle: "OH! From the freezer to the fire! He's just helped that over the ropes!"

Matthew Hayden: "That's the high back-lift we were talking about! He used the pace, opened the face, and just... ping. That's travelled! Welcome to Delhi, Nathan!"

Sourav Ganguly: "The Scorchers thought they could bait him with width. He didn't just take the bait; he took the bowler's confidence with it."

Ball 0.3: The Short-Arm Jab (4)

Sourav Ganguly: "Look at that! That is Punter! That is Ricky Ponting in a Mumbai jersey! The weight transfer is instantaneous."

Nasser Hussain: "It's a brutal shot. There's no other word for it. Coulter-Nile tried to hit the ribs, and Rudra just... dismissed him. It was a dismissal of the bowler's authority..ok. okay, I admit. I was shortsighted. This young man hasn't affected by that dismissal."

Matthew Hayden: "The Scorchers are standing around like they've seen a ghost. He's hitting the ball so hard, the fielders aren't even moving."

Ball 0.4: The Wristy Flick (4)

Harsha Bhogle: "Whip-crack! It's like a magician's trick. Now you see it, now it's at the boundary boards!"

Matthew Hayden: "The wrists of an Indian, the aggression of an Australian. What a combination this kid is. He's toying with the Perth Scorchers now."

Nasser Hussain: "Three boundaries in three balls. Coulter-Nile has completely lost his length. He's bowling in a trance of fear."

Ball 0.5: The Straight Drive (6)

Sourav Ganguly: "Shot of the tournament! Stand and deliver! He didn't even follow through completely, and it's cleared the sightscreen!"

Harsha Bhogle: "The entire stadium is erupting! Sachin Tendulkar is at the other end just nodding. He's seeing a masterclass from a teenager."

Nasser Hussain: "This is a massacre. We came here expecting a contest, an upset but here we're witnessing a reclaiming of a reputation. Rocky Rudra is well and back, and he is furious."

Ball 0.6: The Single and the Sledging

Harsha Bhogle: "He takes the single. He has kept the strike. But wait... he's stopped. He's saying something to James Muirhead."

Sourav Ganguly: "Oh, it's getting spicy! Look at the face of Muirhead. He's looking away. The hunter has become the hunted."

Matthew Hayden: "I love it! You sledge an Australian, you better be able to back it up, and Rocky Rudra has just backed it up with 21 runs in six balls. He's telling them: 'I heard you, and here is your answer. Like that?!'"

___

The Mid-Over Analysis.

Harsha Bhogle: "Ravi, can you hear the noise down there? It's deafening!"

Ravi Shastri was at Pitchside:

"Harsha, I'm standing right next to the Perth dugout, and the silence here is incredible. They are shell-shocked. This seemed familiar. Yes, exactly like it was against Rajasthan Royals, dugout was silent like they don't exist...And, Simon Katich is talking to his bowlers, but you can see the look in their eyes, they realize they haven't just sparked a player. They've sparked a revolution. Rocky Rudra didn't just take 21 runs off that over. He took their dignity!"

MI: 21/0 (1.0 Over)

Rocky Rudra: 21* (6)

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(A/N: How is it? Tried a different pov, biggest chapter so far. Hope you leave a review after reading this. Motivation is important for me to write more. ✌️🙏)

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