For More Future Chapters: -
My Patreon: -
https://www.patreon.com/c/Kynstra
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please Donate Power Stones and Join My Patreon.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The air in Chennai was heavy with humidity and anticipation. The M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, affectionately known as Chepauk, stood ready to host the opening chapter of the most intense, grueling, and celebrated rivalry in modern cricket.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The Australian Cricket Team, led by Pat Cummins and armed with a formidable batting lineup featuring Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, had arrived on Indian shores with a singular mission: Revenge.
Inside the home dressing room, the Indian squad had gathered for their final strategy meeting before the first ball was to be bowled on February 9th.
The Squad for the BGT 2023:
Batsmen:
Rohit Sharma
Shubman Gill
Virat Kohli (Captain),
Suryakumar Yadav
Shreyas Iyer
All-Rounders:
Aarav Pathak (Vice-Captain)
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravindra Jadeja
Axar Patel
Wicketkeepers:
KL Rahul
Ishan Kishan
KS Bharat
Bowlers:
Kuldeep Yadav
Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Siraj
Umesh Yadav
Jaydev Unadkat
It was a squad brimming with experience, raw talent, and lethal spin options tailored for the turning tracks of the subcontinent.
Rahul Dravid, the Head Coach, stood at the front of the room next to a whiteboard. Beside him sat Virat Kohli, looking as intense and hungry as ever.
"Alright, boys, settle down," Dravid began, his voice echoing in the quiet dressing room. "Tomorrow, we start a four-match Test series against the second-best team in the world. They have come prepared. They have practiced on custom-made turning tracks in Sydney. They are not here to roll over."
Kohli leaned forward, his eyes scanning the room. "They are here for revenge, simple as that," Kohli said, his voice carrying that familiar, aggressive edge. "Let's rewind a bit. Two and a half years ago, we went to their backyard. They expected to bounce us out. They expected to bully us."
Kohli paused, looking directly at the young Vice-Captain sitting in the front row, comfortably leaning back with his arms crossed.
"But we didn't just beat them," Kohli smiled, a predatory grin. "We whitewashed them. On their own soil. We broke their fortress at the Gabba. We broke their pride."
A ripple of proud laughter went through the room. Mohammed Siraj and Shubman Gill exchanged high-fives.
"And they remember exactly who did the most damage," Kohli continued, pointing at Aarav.
When India had toured Australia for that historic series, Aarav Pathak was an 20-year-old debutant. He was a wildcard, an unknown entity thrown into the deep end against Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood.
What followed was the stuff of legends. Aarav hadn't just survived; he had dominated. He ended his debut series as the Highest Run-Scorer and the Highest Wicket-Taker. He had conquered Australia single-handedly.
Fast forward to the present day. Aarav was 22 years old. The ICC Rankings had recently been updated, and the graphics circulating on social media and news channels were borderline comical because they looked entirely manufactured. But they were real.
ICC Men's Player Rankings (As of Feb 2023):
Test Batting: #1 - Aarav Pathak
Test Bowling: #1 - Aarav Pathak
Test All-Rounder: #1 - Aarav Pathak
T20I Batting: #1 - Aarav Pathak
T20I Bowling: #1 - Aarav Pathak
T20I All-Rounder: #1 - Aarav Pathak
In the span of just a few years, he had achieved something no cricketer in the history of the sport had ever done. He held the undisputed crown across multiple disciplines in multiple formats. He wasn't just the best all-rounder; he was mathematically the best pure batsman and the best pure bowler in the world simultaneously.
"They have spent the last month watching your videos, Pathak," Rohit Sharma chimed in from the back, grinning. "I heard Cummins even brought in side-arm throwers who bowl 155 kmph just to prepare for you."
Aarav chuckled softly, chewing his gum. "Let them practice, Rohit bhai. The bowling machine doesn't have reverse swing."
Dravid brought the focus back to the whiteboard. "Let's talk about Chepauk," the coach said. "The pitch is dry. There are patches that will crumble by Day 2 or Day 3. This is going to be a spin-dominated game."
Dravid looked at his three spin maestros: Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel. "Ash, Jaddu, Bapu. You three are the primary weapons here. They have a lot of left-handers—Khawaja, Warner, Smith are righties, but Head, Carey, and their lower order... they will struggle if you bowl stump to stump. Do not give them width to sweep or reverse-sweep."
Ashwin, the local boy who knew the Chepauk pitch better than the back of his hand, nodded. "The bounce will be low, Rahul bhai. If we attack the pads, LBW and bowled will be the prime modes of dismissal."
"Exactly," Kohli agreed. "And for the fast bowlers. Shami, Siraj, Aarav. Your spells will be short. Three, maybe four overs max. But I want 100% intensity. We need early breakthroughs with the new ball before it gets soft. Once it scuffs up, Aarav and Shami, you guys take over for reverse swing."
As the meeting wrapped up, the players began to disperse towards the dining area for a team dinner. Kohli walked over to Aarav, taking a seat next to him on the bench.
"You know they are going to come after you, right?" Kohli asked quietly, out of earshot of the other younger players. "You are the Number 1 ranked everything. You are the Vice-Captain. Steve Smith and Marnus are going to try and play mind games. They will try to frustrate you."
"I welcome it, Bhaiya," Aarav replied, a cold, focused light in his eyes. "In Australia, I was a rookie trying to prove myself. Here, in our own backyard, I am going to show them what a nightmare looks like. Let them chirp. Let them defend. I'll break their off-stump."
Kohli smiled, a fiercely proud expression on his face. He remembered the boy he had backed years ago. Now, he was looking at the undisputed king of world cricket.
"Good," Kohli patted his shoulder, standing up. "Just remember, Chepauk tests your patience. The wickets won't come in one over. You have to build the pressure. Leave the chirping to me. You just bowl fast."
"Always," Aarav nodded.
As they walked out of the dressing room, they could hear the faint, rhythmic chanting of fans who had already gathered outside the stadium gates, hoping to catch a glimpse of the team leaving.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy wasn't just a cricket series; it was an emotion. And tomorrow, the battle for pride, points, and supremacy would finally begin on the red soil of Chennai.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While the rest of the Indian squad retired to their rooms, the lights in the Head Coach's suite at the ITC Grand Chola burned late into the night.
Gathered around a table littered with pitch maps and Australian player dossiers were the four pillars of the current Indian setup: Head Coach Rahul Dravid, Captain Virat Kohli, Vice-Captain Aarav Pathak, and the senior statesman Rohit Sharma.
"The pitch is bone dry," Dravid said, adjusting his glasses and pointing to a close-up photo of the 22 yards taken that afternoon. "It's classic Chepauk. By the end of Day 2, it's going to turn square, and the bounce will get lower."
Kohli leaned back, tapping his pen against his chin. "So we pack the spin department. Three spinners are non-negotiable. Ash, Jaddu, and Bapu (Axar). They will bowl 80% of our overs."
"What about the pace attack?" Rohit asked, looking at Aarav. "If we play three spinners, we can only afford two quicks."
"Shami bhai and me," Aarav stated calmly, his eyes locked on the pitch map. "Siraj and Umesh have been bowling well in the nets, but on this track, we don't need four pacers. Shami bhai will give us control and reverse swing with the old SG ball. I can provide the raw pace to rattle them with the new ball. Five bowlers in total."
"I agree," Dravid nodded. "Now, the batting."
"I'll open with KL," Rohit confirmed. "KL has looked solid against the spinning ball in the nets."
"Aarav at three, me at four," Kohli continued. "Now, Number 5. We need someone who can sweep and manipulate the spin when Lyon and Murphy come on."
Aarav leaned forward. "Give it to Surya."
The room went quiet for a second. Suryakumar Yadav was a white-ball phenomenon, but Test cricket was a different beast.
"Surya?" Dravid raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Aarav insisted. "If the pitch is turning square, defending will only get you an edge eventually. Surya plays the sweep and the reverse sweep better than anyone in the country well except me. He can hit the spinners off their length. Let him debut."
"I like it," Kohli smiled, a predatory glint in his eye. "Bazball works for England. Let's show them 'Surya-ball' against spin. Shreyas at 6, and Srikar Bharat takes the gloves at 7."
The Brain Trust nodded. The masterplan for the first Test was sealed.
The Final Playing XI:
Rohit Sharma
KL Rahul
Aarav Pathak (VC)
Virat Kohli (C)
Suryakumar Yadav (Debut)
Shreyas Iyer
KS Bharat (WK) (Debut)
Ravindra Jadeja
Axar Patel
Ravichandran Ashwin
Mohammed Shami
The morning of February 9th was humid and tense. At 8:45 AM, an hour before the toss, the Indian team formed a tight circle near the boundary rope.
It was a special morning.
Virat Kohli stepped into the center holding a pristine white Test cap Number 304. He handed it to Suryakumar Yadav. "Surya, you have dominated white-ball cricket, but wearing the whites for India is the ultimate dream," Kohli said warmly. "Go out there and play exactly the way you do. No fear." SKY kissed the cap, looking visibly emotional as the team clapped.
Next, KL Rahul stepped forward to hand Test cap Number 305 to the wicket-keeper, Srikar Bharat, rewarding years of domestic grind and said, "Bharat from domestic to IPL to International level, best of luck, team beliefs in you!"
On the other side of the ground, the Australians were having their own moment. Nathan Lyon was handing the prestigious Baggy Green to 22-year-old off-spinner Todd Murphy. The battle lines were drawn.
At 9:00 AM, a massive roar washed over Chepauk as the two captains walked out to the center.
Pat Cummins, tall and imposing in his Baggy Green, stood next to Virat Kohli, who looked ready for a street fight in his India blazer. Standing between them was the veteran Match Referee, Andy Pycroft.
Ravi Shastri held the microphone, his voice echoing around the stadium. "Chennai! Welcome to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy! The atmosphere is absolutely electric! We are ready for the toss. Pat, you have the coin. Virat calls."
Cummins spun the coin high into the air. "Heads," Kohli called loudly.
The coin landed on the dry, cracked surface. "It's Tails," Pycroft confirmed.
Ravi Shastri: "Pat Cummins wins the toss! Pat, a crucial toss to win in India. What are you going to do?"
Pat Cummins (Smiling): "We are going to bat first, Ravi. The pitch looks quite dry. I think it's going to break up as the game goes on, so we want to put runs on the board early while it's at its best. We are really excited. Todd Murphy makes his debut today; he's been bowling beautifully."
Ravi Shastri: "Good luck, Pat." He turned to the Indian captain. "Virat, lost the toss. Would you have batted as well?"
Virat Kohli: "Absolutely, Ravi. It's a no-brainer in Chennai. You want to bat first and avoid batting last on this surface. But having said that, we are well prepared. We have a bowling attack specifically designed for these conditions."
Ravi Shastri: "Tell us about that attack and your playing XI."
Virat Kohli: "We are going with three spinners—Ashwin, Jadeja, and Axar. They are lethal here. And we have two pacers, Shami and Aarav. Aarav gives us that express pace with the new ball, and Shami is brilliant with reverse swing. In the batting, we have two debutants: Surya and KS Bharat."
Ravi Shastri: "Big moment for Surya and Bharat making their Test debut. All the best for the series, Virat!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flashback:
The projector hummed quietly in the center of the dimly lit conference room. The air conditioning was cranked up to its lowest setting, but several men in the room were sweating.
The entire Australian Test squad, along with the coaching and analytical staff, were gathered around a massive rectangular table. At the head of the table stood Andrew McDonald, the Head Coach. To his right sat the captain, Pat Cummins, his usually bright face clouded with a deep frown. To his left, Steve Smith was twitching restlessly, his hands unconsciously mimicking a batting grip.
On the glowing screen at the front of the room, a video clip was playing on a loop.
It was footage from the England series a few months prior. It showed James Anderson bowling a perfect outswinger, pitching on the fourth stump line. The batsman—Aarav Pathak—didn't poke at it. He didn't leave it. He took a precise, fluid stride forward and caressed it through the covers for four. The head was perfectly still. The balance was robotic in its perfection.
McDonald paused the video.
"Right," the coach sighed, rubbing his temples. "That's his front-foot game against the moving ball. We've been sitting here for three hours. Let's pull up the short-ball reel again."
The team analyst tapped his keyboard. The screen shifted to a barrage of bouncers bowled by Mark Wood and Kagiso Rabada. The squad watched in grim silence as Aarav hooked, pulled, and swayed away with the reflexes of a middleweight boxer.
"Okay, pause," Pat Cummins ran a hand through his sandy hair, leaning back in his chair. "He plays the short ball well. He plays the swinging ball well. What about spin? It's Chennai. We have Gazza (Nathan Lyon) and Murphy. Bring up the spin dismissals."
The analyst hesitated. "Mate, that's the problem."
"What problem?" Nathan Lyon asked, leaning forward, his eyes narrowing. "Everyone has a weakness against spin on a Day 3 Indian dustbowl."
The analyst pulled up a graphic. It was a pitch map against spinners. It was painted almost entirely green (runs scored) with very few red dots (wickets). "He doesn't have a pattern, Gazza," the analyst explained, his voice laced with genuine disbelief. "If you toss it up, he steps out and hits you with the spin over long-off. If you fire it in flat, he goes deep in his crease and cuts you. If you bowl into the rough, he sweeps. Conventionally and in reverse."
Steve Smith, who had been muttering to himself, suddenly stood up. He walked towards the screen, staring at Aarav's paused stance.
"His head," Smith mumbled, pointing at the screen. "Look at his head. It doesn't move. When the ball is released, his eyes are completely level. There's no trigger movement that commits him too early. He plays it under his eyes."
Smith turned to the room, looking visibly stressed. For a man who had solved the matrix of batting himself, seeing someone else do it better was unnerving.
"You can't set a trap for him," Smith concluded, shaking his head. "If you set a trap, he just waits for the bad ball and hits it where the fielders aren't. He's batting on a different plane."
"Let's look at the dismissals reel," McDonald ordered, desperate for a silver lining. "How does he get out? Caught behind? LBW? Run out?"
The analyst played the compilation.
Clip 1: Aarav dragging a wide ball onto his stumps in Australia.
Clip 2: Aarav caught at deep mid-wicket trying to hit a six in South Africa.
Clip 3: Aarav trapped LBW by a shooter that kept impossibly low in England.
"Play it again," Cummins commanded.
They watched the ten dismissals they had compiled over his 24 Test innings.
"Do you see it?" McDonald asked the room.
Marnus Labuschagne, sitting next to Smith, looked bewildered. "See what? I don't see a pattern. The first one was a lapse in concentration. The second one he was trying to declare. The third one was an unplayable delivery."
"Exactly," McDonald said, dropping his laser pointer on the table with a clatter. "There is no pattern. He doesn't have a technical flaw that we can exploit repeatedly. If we get him out caught behind today, tomorrow he won't edge it. If we trap him LBW, the next innings he will adjust his stance. He adapts faster than we can formulate plans."
The analyst switched the screen to a final, brutal graphic.
AARAV PATHAK - TEST STATISTICS
Matches: 16
Innings: 26
Runs: 2,430
Average:108.10
Hundreds: 12
Half Century: 9
Wickets: 79
A heavy, suffocating silence descended over the Australian war room.
"An average of one hundred and eight," Mitchell Starc muttered from the back of the room, staring at the screen as if it had insulted his family. "That's not a cricket stat. That's a typo. The bloke averages more than Bradman."
"It's not a typo, Mitch," Cummins said, his voice quiet. "He is that good. We saw it firsthand two years ago when he debuted against us. He dismantled us at the Gabba. And now, he's two years older, two years stronger, and playing in his own backyard."
Todd Murphy, the 22-year-old debutant off-spinner, was staring at the screen, looking slightly pale. He was scheduled to bowl to this monster tomorrow morning. "So... what's the plan, Coach?" Murphy asked tentatively. "Just... bowl and hope?"
Andrew McDonald turned on the lights in the conference room. The sudden brightness made the players squint, but it couldn't dispel the gloom that had settled over them.
"The plan," McDonald said, walking to the front of the table, "is acceptance."
The players looked at him, confused.
"We accept that there is no magic ball to get Aarav Pathak out," the coach explained firmly. "We stop pulling our hair out trying to find a biomechanical flaw that doesn't exist. If you go out there tomorrow searching for the perfect delivery to knock him over, you will get frustrated, you will lose your line, and he will score a double hundred before Tea."
McDonald looked at his bowlers—Cummins, Starc, Boland, Lyon, and Murphy.
"You treat him like a machine. You bowl your absolute best channel. Fourth stump, good length. Over and over and over again. You build the pressure from the other end. You make him earn every single run. We play the long game. We wait for human error. Because right now, that is the only thing that gets him out. He makes a mistake. We don't force it."
Pat Cummins stood up, picking up his notebook. He looked at his squad, then at India, as they are the reigning World Test Champions, a team of fierce competitors.
"He's human," Cummins said, though it sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as the others. "He has blood pumping through his veins, not oil. It's going to be hot tomorrow. The pitch will turn. We grind him down. We don't bowl to his ego; we bowl to our strengths."
The players nodded, but as they filed out of the room heading back to their suites, the atmosphere was tense.
Steve Smith lingered behind, watching the screensaver on the projector—a still image of Aarav Pathak raising his bat.
"Hundred and eight," Smith whispered to himself, shaking his head. He shadow-batted a defensive push, frowned, and walked out.
The Australians had spent hours trying to decode the puzzle of Aarav Pathak. They had emerged with only one conclusion: The Prince of Indian Cricket was currently the most terrifying batsman on the planet. And tomorrow, they had to face him.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The dry, red soil of the Chepauk pitch baked under the Chennai morning sun. The roar of the crowd was a living, breathing entity, vibrating through the concrete stands. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy had officially commenced.
Walking down the pavilion steps, bathed in the blinding light, were two of Australia's most formidable veterans: David Warner and Usman Khawaja. They looked focused, adjusting their arm guards, ready to face the music.
In the Indian huddle, Virat Kohli gave a sharp clap. He threw the brand new, cherry-red SG ball to his Vice-Captain. Aarav Pathak took it. He rubbed the seam with his thumb.
Ravi Shastri (Voice booming): "The wait is over! David Warner takes guard. The crowd is on its feet. Aarav Pathak has the new SG ball in hand. He has a slip attack, a gully, and a short leg in place. The series begins now!"
Over 1:
Ball 1: Aarav started his run-up. The rhythmic thud of his spikes echoed in the silent microsecond before release. 148.5 kmph. He bowled a probing length ball on the fourth stump line, angling across Warner. Warner, knowing the threat of Aarav's early swing, shouldered arms. The ball carried perfectly, thudding loudly into the gloves of the debutant wicket-keeper, Srikar Bharat.
"Well bowled, Aarav! Good carry!" Bharat chirped enthusiastically from behind the stumps.
Ball 2: Aarav went fuller. Warner leaned into a solid forward defense. Dot.
Ball 3 & 4: Aarav tested Warner with the angle, bringing it closer to the off-stump. Warner played with incredibly soft hands, dropping the ball dead on the pitch. Behind the stumps, KS Bharat was moving beautifully. Every time Aarav beat the bat or got a leave, the ball landed perfectly in Bharat's gloves with a satisfying smack. The sync between the premier fast bowler and the debutant keeper was establishing itself instantly.
Ball 5: A sudden, vicious bouncer. Warner ducked under it quickly. Dot.
Ball 6: Aarav finished with an outswinger. Warner left it alone. Maiden Over.
Matthew Hayden: "Excellent start from the young man. He tested Warner's patience, showed him the bouncer, and found his rhythm immediately. A maiden to kick off the Border-Gavaskar Trophy."
Over 2:
Virat Kohli handed the ball to his veteran workhorse, Mohammed Shami, from the other end.
Ball 1: Shami, with his flawless, upright seam presentation, ran in and bowled to Usman Khawaja. Khawaja tucked it gently off his hips to the leg side. 1 Run. Australia was off the mark.
Ball 2-5: Shami bowled a tight channel to Warner. The ball was gripping the dry surface slightly, but not turning yet. Warner managed to push a length ball to the sweeper cover for a single. 1 Run.
Ball 6: Khawaja defended the final ball. End of Over 2.Score: Aus 2/0.
Over 3:
Aarav Pathak returned for his second over. He had sized David Warner up in the first over. He knew Warner was looking to impose himself, waiting for the slightest width to free his arms.
Ball 1: Aarav bowled wide outside off. A genuine tempter. Warner slashed hard but missed. Dot.
Ball 2: Aarav pulled his length back slightly, cramping the left-hander. Warner fended it off his ribs. Dot.
Ball 3: Aarav walked back to his mark. He didn't look at the batsman. He just visualized the base of the off-stump. He ran in. He put extra shoulder into the delivery. 152.4 kmph. He bowled it full, starting just outside the off-stump. Warner, anticipating the outswinger he had seen in the first over, planted his front foot to drive it aggressively through the covers. But the ball didn't hold its line. It jagged back in off the seam with terrifying velocity. It sliced through the gap between Warner's bat and pad before the bat even came down completely. CRASH.
The off-stump was uprooted, doing a cartwheel before landing a foot away.
Harsha Bhogle (Ecstatic): "BOWLED HIM! ABSOLUTE BEAUTY! Aarav Pathak shatters the stumps! He set him up with the away angle and brought it back in at 152kmph! David Warner is beaten for sheer pace and movement! The Chepauk crowd erupts!"
Ravi Shastri: "That is why he is the Number 1 ranked player in the world! You cannot play a drive when the ball is coming back in at that speed! Warner has to take the long walk back. India draws first blood!"
David Warner b Aarav 1 (9)Score: Aus 2/1
Out walked Marnus Labuschagne, famous for his exaggerated leaves and constant self-talk. He looked at the pitch, tapped his bat, and took guard. Aarav greeted him with a sharp bouncer that Labuschagne ducked under, yelling an exaggerated, "NO RUN!"
End of Over 3.Score: Aus 2/1.
Over 4:
Mohammed Shami continued his spell. With a new batsman at the crease, Shami was relentless. He bowled a beautiful, probing line just outside the off-stump to Labuschagne.
Marnus hopped, jumped, and left the ball with dramatic flourishes, constantly talking to himself. "Well bowled, Shami. Good leave, Marnus." But he couldn't score a single run. Shami's seam position was too immaculate to take a risk against.
Maiden Over.Score: Aus 3/1.
Over 5:
The pressure was building exponentially. Three runs on the board. One wicket down. Aarav Pathak came charging in for his third over. He decided to shift his focus to the other batsman, Usman Khawaja.
Aarav changed his angle. He came round the wicket to the left-hander, creating a steep angle straight towards the stumps.
Ball 1: Aarav angled it into the pads. Khawaja tucked it to short leg. Dot.
Ball 2: Aarav went fuller, aiming for the toes. Khawaja dug it out well. Dot.
Ball 3: Aarav ran in again. From round the wicket, he released a delivery at 149 kmph. It pitched on a good length on middle and leg stump. Khawaja, playing for the angle that should have taken the ball across him towards the slip cordon, played slightly outside the line.
But the ball, hitting a dry patch on the red soil, straightened off the deck instead of holding its angle. It beat the inside edge of Khawaja's bat entirely. THUD. It smashed flush into the front pad, right below the knee roll.
Aarav spun around. He didn't even appeal; he just threw his arms up in the air, absolutely certain. "YESSS!" Virat Kohli screamed from the slips. KS Bharat went up behind the stumps.
The Umpire, Nitin Menon, took a fraction of a second before slowly raising his finger. OUT!
Matthew Hayden (Groaning): "Oh, no! Khawaja has been trapped! He's been done by the angle and the subtle movement off the pitch! He's discussing it with Marnus, but that looked absolutely plumb."
Khawaja looked at Labuschagne. Labuschagne shook his head. "Looked straight, Uzi." Khawaja didn't review. He put his head down and walked away.
Ravi Shastri: "Two down! Aarav Pathak is ripping through the Australian top order! Round the wicket, perfect length, and the ball just straightens enough to catch him right in front of middle and leg! The Aussies are shell-shocked!"
Usman Khawaja lbw b Aarav 2Score: Aus 3/2
The scoreboard made for grim reading for the visitors. Three runs. 2 wickets. The Chepauk stadium was vibrating with a deafening noise. Aarav Pathak stood in the middle of the pitch, high-fiving his teammates, looking entirely unplayable.
And then, the crowd's noise shifted to a low, respectful hum. Walking down the steps was the man who had been the thorn in India's side for a decade. The man who averaged over 60 in Test cricket.
Steve Smith.
Smith walked to the middle, his face twitching slightly as he adjusted his arm guard. He looked at the scoreboard. He looked at the red dirt. Finally, he looked at Aarav Pathak, who was walking back to his mark, tossing the SG ball from hand to hand.
The two best Test players in the world the #1 ranked batsman of the OLD generation and the #1 ranked bowler and batsman of the GOLD generation were about to lock horns again.
Harsha Bhogle: "Here comes Steve Smith. 2 for 2. The ship is sinking, and the captain (Cummins) needs his best sailor to plug the hole. But standing in his way is a 22-year-old fast bowler who looks like he belongs to a different stratosphere today."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The early dismissals of Warner and Khawaja had turned Chepauk into a fortress of noise. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, the two pillars of the Australian batting lineup, were now tasked with a monumental rescue mission.
Virat Kohli, sensing the vulnerability, kept his foot firmly on the pedal. He allowed his two premier fast bowlers, Aarav Pathak and Mohammed Shami, to bowl uninterrupted five-over spells.
For the next five overs, the cricket was grueling. It was a test of absolute patience and technique. Aarav consistently bowled in the 148-152 kmph range, targeting the fourth stump line, making the ball rear up off a length. Shami, relentless with his upright seam, peppered the pads and the outside edge.
Marnus Labuschagne exaggerated his leaves, shouting "No run!" and "Well bowled!" to every delivery, his quirky mannerisms on full display. Steve Smith fidgeted, adjusting his pads, his helmet, and his gloves after every single ball, shuffling across the crease to negate the swing.
Over 9: Aarav Pathak's Final Over of the Spell
Aarav ran in for the last ball of his 5th over. He bowled a searing bouncer to Smith. Smith ducked elegantly, his eyes never leaving the ball. Dot.
End of Over 9.Score: Aus 21/2. Aarav Pathak: 5-2-8-2. Mohammed Shami: 4-2-12-0.
Matthew Hayden: "That is a brilliant opening hour for India. Nine overs bowled, just 21 runs on the board, and the two left-handed openers are back in the shed. Aarav and Shami have been exceptional. They haven't given Smith or Marnus an inch to breathe."
Ravi Shastri: "But look at the ball, Haydos. The shine has completely gone. This dry, abrasive red soil of Chepauk acts like sandpaper. The pacers have done their job; they've created the early dents. Now, the real game begins."
Virat Kohli took the ball from Aarav, giving his Vice-Captain a pat on the back. Aarav wiped the sweat from his brow and jogged towards the slip cordon, taking his position at first slip.
Kohli threw the scuffed-up SG ball to the man the crowd had been waiting for. The local hero. The master of Chepauk.
Ravichandran Ashwin.
The stadium erupted. If Aarav was the Prince of Indian Cricket, Ashwin was the absolute King of Chennai.
Harsha Bhogle: "Listen to that roar! The local boy has the ball in his hand. Ravichandran Ashwin bowling at Chepauk is a sight to behold. And from the other end, it will be Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel. The spin web is about to be spun."
Over 11: Ravichandran Ashwin to Marnus Labuschagne
Ashwin marked his run-up. He set an attacking field—Aarav at first slip, Kohli at leg slip, and a short leg hovering dangerously close.
Ball 1: Ashwin tossed it up, giving it a beautiful loop. It pitched on middle and spun sharply away from the right-hander. Marnus leaned forward, smothering the spin with a dead bat. Dot.
Ball 2-5: Ashwin tested Marnus with variations—the conventional off-break, the one that skidded straight on, and the one with extra over-spin that bounced viciously. Marnus, using soft hands, defended them all.
Ball 6: Marnus finally pushed a flatter delivery to cover and scampered for a quick single. 1 Run.
Score: Aus 22/2.
From the Pavilion End, Ravindra Jadeja came running in. If Ashwin was a chess grandmaster setting elaborate traps, Jadeja was a sniper—quick, flat, and suffocatingly accurate.
Over 12: Ravindra Jadeja to Steve Smith
Jadeja fired his first delivery in at 94 kmph. It pitched on off-stump and gripped. Smith went back and across, defending it late. Dot.
For the next three overs, the scoring rate plummeted to zero. Ashwin and Jadeja bowled in tandem, rushing through their overs. The batsmen barely had time to think between deliveries.
Over 13 (Ashwin): Maiden.
Over 14 (Jadeja): 2 runs.
Over 15 (Ashwin): 2 runs.
Score after 15 Overs: Aus 26/2.
Matthew Hayden: "This is incredibly tough batting. Smith and Labuschagne are surviving, but they are absolutely pinned down. Jadeja is giving them no time to adjust, and Ashwin is making the ball dance. The Indian slip cordon is constantly chirping. Aarav and Virat are in their ears."
At first slip, Aarav Pathak was standing in a low crouch. "He's playing from the crease, Jaddu bhai," Aarav called out. "Make him reach. The arm ball is waiting."
Jadeja nodded from the top of his mark.
Over 16
Ravindra Jadeja to Marnus Labuschagne
Marnus was batting on 9 from 39 balls. The relentless pressure of the dot balls was slowly building a knot of frustration.
Ball 1: Jadeja bowled a tossed-up delivery on middle stump. It gripped and turned away. Marnus played it softly to point. Dot.
Ball 2: Flatter, quicker. 96 kmph. Marnus jammed his bat down just in time, digging it out to silly point. Dot.
Ball 3: Jadeja pitched it right on the rough spot outside the off-stump. The ball exploded off the surface, turning square and missing the outside edge of Marnus's defensive prod by an inch. KS Bharat collected it cleanly. "Ooh! Good ball!" Aarav clapped from slip.
Marnus tapped the pitch, looking concerned. The turn was massive. He made a mental note to cover the spin on the next delivery.
Ball 4: Jadeja ran in, his arm angle slightly lower this time. He bowled it full on the middle and off-stump line. Marnus, expecting the massive turn he had seen on the previous ball, planted his front foot across the line, playing for the spin.
But this wasn't the spinner. This was Jadeja's lethal weapon: The Arm Ball.
The ball didn't turn an inch. It skidded on straight with the angle, fired in at 98 kmph. It beat the inside edge of Marnus's bat completely as he played for the non-existent turn. THUD. It smashed flush into the back pad, right in front of the middle stump.
"HOWZZZAAAAAAT!" Jadeja, Aarav, Kohli, and Bharat all went up in a deafening, unified appeal.
The Umpire, Richard Illingworth, didn't even take a full second. He slowly raised his finger. OUT!
Ravi Shastri (Booming): "PLUMB IN FRONT! RAVINDRA JADEJA STRIKES! The classic setup! He turns one square to plant the doubt, and then fires the arm ball straight through! Marnus Labuschagne plays for the spin that wasn't there, and he is trapped right in front of the stumps! India has their third!"
Marnus Labuschagne looked at Steve Smith at the non-striker's end. Smith just shook his head. There was no point in reviewing that. It was crashing into middle and leg.
Marnus tucked his bat under his arm and began the long walk back to the pavilion, his quirky mannerisms entirely gone, replaced by a look of sheer dejection.
Marnus Labuschagne lbw b Jadeja 9Score: Aus 26/3
The Chepauk crowd was in a state of absolute delirium.
Harsha Bhogle: "What a piece of bowling! That is why this duo is so deadly in India. Aarav and Shami do the initial damage, and before you can even catch your breath, the spin twins tie you up and execute you. Australia is 26 for 3, and the Chepauk pitch is already misbehaving. They are in massive trouble here."
Aarav high-fived Jadeja, ruffling his hair. "Perfectly executed! He didn't have a clue."
Virat Kohli clapped his hands, his eyes blazing. "Keep squeezing them, boys! Don't let up!"
With Steve Smith watching from the non-striker's end, and Travis Head walking out to the middle, the Indian spin web had officially closed its trap.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Marnus Labuschagne fell to Ravindra Jadeja's arm ball, the crack in the Australian armor didn't just widen; it shattered entirely. The Chepauk pitch, bone-dry and abrasive, woke up with a vengeance under the Chennai sun. And operating on it were three of the most lethal architects of spin in world cricket: Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel.
Travis walked out to join Steve Smith. Head, known for his aggressive counter-attacking style, tried to sweep Ashwin out of the attack early.
Over 17.2: Ravichandran Ashwin to Travis Head Ashwin bowled it slower through the air, giving it a massive rip. Head went down on one knee, aiming for the mid-wicket stands. The ball turned sharply, caught the top edge, and ballooned to Aarav Pathak at slip, who barely had to move. Travis Head c Aarav b Ashwin 2 (5)Score: 28/4
From that moment on, it wasn't a cricket match; it was a procession. Steve Smith, the lone warrior at one end, watched helplessly as his teammates walked in, danced to the tune of the spinning ball, and walked back out. The Australian batting card began to look less like a scorecard and more like a dial-up phone number.
Ravi Shastri (Voice booming): "This is an absolute demolition job! The Aussies have no clue which way the ball is turning! Ashwin and Jadeja are putting on a clinic, and Virat Kohli is orchestrating this like a symphony! The visitors are trapped in the Chepauk dustbowl!"
Peter Handscomb: Tried to defend Jadeja off the back foot, beaten by the low bounce. Plumb LBW. 6 (12)
Alex Carey: Attempted a reverse sweep against Axar Patel, who had just been introduced. The ball skidded on and shattered his off-stump. 1 (4)
Pat Cummins: Tried to hit his way out of trouble, launching Axar for a massive six, before inside-edging the very next ball to KS Bharat. 10 (8)
Nathan Lyon: Bowled through the gate by Ashwin's carrom ball. 2 (7)
Todd Murphy: Hit a couple of boundaries before being caught at silly point off Jadeja. 8 (10)
Scott Boland: Trapped LBW by Ashwin. A three-ball duck. 0 (3)
Over 32.3: Ravichandran Ashwin to Scott Boland
Ball 3: Ashwin tossed it up perfectly. It drifted in and spun away sharply. Boland played completely down the wrong line. The ball kissed the front pad. "HOWZZZAAAAAT!" The entire Indian team surrounding the bat went up in a ferocious, synchronized scream. The umpire raised his finger.
Harsha Bhogle: "Given! And that is the end of the Australian innings! An absolute massacre on Day 1! Ashwin claims his fourth, and Australia are bowled out for a paltry 91!"
Steve Smith was left stranded at the non-striker's end, remaining unbeaten on a valiant, hard-fought 45*. He rested his hands on his knees, shaking his head in sheer disbelief at the wreckage around him.
The Indian celebration was pure aggression. Virat Kohli pumped both fists in the air. Aarav Pathak sprinted from the slip cordon, leaping onto Ashwin's back. "This is your house! This is Chepauk!" Aarav yelled, high-fiving Jadeja and Axar.
Matthew Hayden (Somber): "I have seen Australian teams struggle in the subcontinent, but this... this is a capitulation. 91 all out in just 32.3 overs. Take nothing away from the Indian spinners—they were relentless—but the shot selection from the Aussies was panicked. Steve Smith is the only one who looked like he knew how to hold a bat today."
Innings Summary:Australia 1st Innings: 91 All Out (32.3 Overs)
The Indian team jogged off the field, the Chennai crowd giving them a standing ovation that resonated like thunder.
As they crossed the boundary rope and entered the cool shade of the dugout, the aggression melted into pure joy. The dressing room was a scene of unadulterated jubilation.
Ravichandran Ashwin ("Ash Anna"), wiping the sweat from his forehead with a towel, fell back onto the sofa, laughing loudly. "Did you see Carey's face?!" Ashwin chuckled, bumping fists with Axar. "He was sweeping a ball that was on the middle stump! Bapu, that arm ball of yours was a beauty."
"He was premeditating, Anna," Axar Patel grinned, adjusting his glasses. "The moment he sat down, I just fired it in at 98 kmph. No chance."
Ravindra Jadeja walked in, twirling a cricket ball in his fingers, a massive grin on his face. "Marnus is still in the dressing room practicing his defense in the mirror, I guarantee it. He couldn't believe it didn't turn."
Aarav Pathak sat on the cooler, pouring a bottle of water over his head to cool down, laughing at the trio. "You three are a nightmare," Aarav said, shaking his head in admiration. "I bowl 150 to scare them, and you guys just casually roll your fingers and make them look like club cricketers. Unbelievable spell, Anna."
"You set the tone, Aarav," Ashwin pointed back at Aarav. "Getting Warner and Khawaja out in the first 5 overs? That broke their belief before the spin even started. It was a perfect team effort."
Virat Kohli clapped his hands loudly, bringing the room to attention. "Brilliant job in the field, boys. Absolute perfection. 91 all out. But remember, the pitch is doing tricks. Now, we bat. We bat them out of the game today and tomorrow. We need a massive lead."
The laughter died down, replaced by the sharp, focused clatter of batting gear being prepared.
In the corner of the room, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul were already strapping on their heavy white test pads. The openers knew the responsibility that lay ahead. Facing Pat Cummins and Bolland with a brand-new red ball on a dry, turning pitch was no easy task, even with a massive psychological advantage.
"Play late, KL," Rohit muttered, adjusting his thigh guard. "Pat will try to swing it in early. Let it come to you." "Got it," KL nodded, his face a mask of concentration.
On the other side of the dressing room, the Vice-Captain was also transitioning from the lethal enforcer to the batting phenom.
Aarav Pathak pulled off his sweaty bowling jersey and pulled a fresh white shirt over his head. He sat on the bench, methodically strapping his MRF pads onto his legs.
He didn't know if he would be required in the first over or the fiftieth, but in Test cricket, the Number 3 is always ready. He strapped his arm guard, slipped on his chest protector, and carefully checked the grip on his customized MRF Legacy bat.
Kohli walked past, tapping Aarav's helmet with his bat. "You ready for the grind, Pathak?"
Aarav looked up, his eyes shifting back to the cold, calculating stare of the world's Number 1 ranked Test batter. "I was born for the grind, Virat bhai. Let them bring Lyon and Cummins. I'm ready."
The umpire's bell rang through the corridors. The innings break was over. Rohit and KL picked up their bats and walked towards the tunnel, the roar of the Chepauk crowd greeting them. Behind the glass doors of the dugout, Aarav Pathak sat with his helmet resting on his knees, watching intently, ready to take the center stage.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note: - 7100+ Words
For More Future Chapters: -
My Patreon: -
https://www.patreon.com/c/Kynstra
Thank you very much for all the support and donate power stones!!
Do Comment, anything just comments and Donate Power stone!!
If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! Your feedback means so much. And feel free to comment on where you think the story should go next—I'd love to hear your thoughts on the future direction!