The scoreboard at the end of Day 3 read Hyderabad 542 for 6 declared — not with fireworks, but with quiet, unrelenting authority.
It had begun slowly, as all big innings do. The top order came out under the same sun that had punished the bowlers the day before. But now it was Goa's turn to feel the weight of patience.
Aarav sat in the dressing room balcony in his training jersey, legs stretched out, an ice pack resting across his right knee. He had earned his rest. With the opposition dismissed for 198, his job — for now — was done. But watching the batting unfold was a masterclass of a different kind.
Hyderabad didn't bat like a T20 team. They batted like a team that understood time. That knew the game wouldn't be won in one session, but it could be lost in one bad shot.
The openers began steadily, pushing past lunch on Day 2 without a single risk. The runs came like water dripping from a tap — slow at first, then steadily filling the glass.
Aarav watched from the viewing area, padless and relaxed, but deeply attentive. This was part of his education too. Every batter had their own tempo. Some were compact, reducing risk to almost zero. Others played with elegant wrists and fluid footwork. But all of them respected the value of time and crease occupation.
By stumps on Day 2, Hyderabad was 298/2.
No wild celebrations. No charging down the wicket. Just fist bumps, tired smiles, and more of the same planned for Day 3.
On the third morning, the grinding continued. A senior batter — one of the veterans of the domestic circuit — scored a quiet century. Not a single six in it. Mostly singles, nudges, placements, and ironclad defense. The Goa bowlers looked drained — mentally more than physically.
Aarav noticed it. He recognized that look. The same exhaustion he had felt after his second spell on Day 1 was now on their faces. And Hyderabad's batters capitalized.
By tea on Day 3, Hyderabad had crossed 480. Aarav was warming up with resistance bands near the nets, but no one really expected him to bat. They had batted Goa out of the game.
And finally, late in the final session of the day, the captain declared at 542/6. A statement not just of runs, but of control.
As the team packed up for the day, Aarav met eyes with Coach Arjun, who simply said, "Now, you'll understand why discipline matters."
It clicked. The long overs. The patient spells. The strategic fields. All of it had led here — to dominance earned through discipline.
As they walked back to the hotel, Aarav glanced at the scoreboard once more. No one would talk about this innings in headlines. There were no viral clips, no sixes into the stands. But to anyone who understood the rhythm of red-ball cricket, this was a symphony of control.
And tomorrow, he'd be back with the ball — not just to bowl, but to finish what they'd started.