The second match of the senior camp was scheduled for 9:00 AM sharp. The academy ground was already buzzing by 7:30—players warming up, mentors reviewing notes, captains finalizing combinations. The air was thick, heavy with moisture. Even the breeze felt sluggish.
Nikhil checked the team sheet posted outside the pavilion.
Team Green – Playing XI His name wasn't there.
Again.
He didn't flinch. He didn't sigh. He simply nodded and walked toward the dugout, kit bag untouched, notebook in hand.
The weather was humid—uncomfortably so. Sweat clung to forearms before the warm-up even began. The physios handed out extra electrolyte sachets. The outfield shimmered under the haze.
Nikhil opened his notebook to a fresh page and wrote:
Shadow Captain's Log – Match 2 Weather: Humid, high moisture retention. Impact: Slower outfield, ball may grip more for spinners. Strategy: Bowl first if possible. Chase with calculated aggression.
Toss & Setup
Team Red won the toss again. Mayank chose to bat—same as last time. His logic was consistent: post a high total, control the tempo.
Nikhil scribbled:
Red bats first again. Confident in their top order.
If I were Green captain, I'd bowl first today. Humidity favors early swing and spin.
Divakar stuck to his usual plan—opening with pace, aggressive field placements.
Nikhil watched from the dugout, water bottles beside him, eyes scanning every movement.
First Innings: Team Red Batting
The match began with urgency. Team Red's openers attacked from ball one, reaching 61/0 in 6 overs. The ball wasn't traveling as fast across the damp grass, but they compensated with lofted shots and sharp running.
Nikhil noted:
Outfield slow. Red adapting with aerial shots.
Green fielders positioned too deep. Singles flowing freely.
By the 15th over, Team Red was 128/2. The umpires called for the five-minute drinks break.
Nikhil walked out with the water crate, alongside Raina. He didn't speak this time. He just listened.
Divakar was animated, gesturing at fielders, discussing bowling changes. Nikhil stood quietly, absorbing every word.
Back in the dugout, he updated his log:
Divakar's field: reactive again. Spinner introduced late. Suggested tweak (not voiced): bring mid-on tighter, force mistimed lofts. Lesson: Humidity changes ball behavior. Captains must adjust early.
Second Innings: Team Green Chasing
Team Green began their chase with caution. The ball was gripping. Timing was off. By the 10th over, they were 72/3.
Nikhil watched the middle order struggle to rotate strike. The boundaries weren't coming. The scoreboard pressure mounted.
He scribbled:
*Green struggling to shift gears.
If I were batting: alternate tempo every over. Fast-slow rhythm to unsettle bowlers.*
Team Green finished at 211/9. Close, but not enough.
Post-Match Debrief
Kaif addressed Team Red. "Better execution today. But don't forget—conditions change. You must too."
Raina spoke to Team Green. "You had the tools. You didn't use them early enough. Learn to read the pitch, not just the scoreboard."
That night, Nikhil returned to Room 101. He didn't feel left out. He felt sharpened.
He opened his notebook and wrote:
"Match 2 – Shadow Captain Notes Lesson: Conditions dictate strategy. Fix: Practice tempo shifts under humid grip. Goal: Be ready for any surface. Reminder: I'm not sidelined. I'm studying."
Then he stepped out to the nets again—solo session, under the floodlights.
He practiced 10 overs of batting:
One over fast-paced, boundary intent.
One over slow-paced, strike rotation.
Then bowled off-spin to an empty crease, imagining the batter was someone who punished every mistake.
By midnight, he was drenched in sweat, but smiling.
He hadn't played.
But he had progressed.