Six matches. That's all it took.
Six matches of data, drills, and decisions. Enough for the coaches and mentors to see through the noise—to understand not just who could play, but who could lead, adapt, and endure.
It was the start of Week Five, and the mood had changed.
Behind Closed Doors
Inside the coach's office, the air was thick with deliberation. Whiteboards were filled with names, stats, and scribbled notes. Rameshwar stood at the head of the table. Kaif and Raina flanked him. The assistant coaches leaned in.
"Let's finalize the categories," Rameshwar said. "We've got eight weeks till Vijay Hazare. No more guessing."
Each player was being slotted:
Batsman
Bowler
All-rounder
Captaincy potential
Some names were easy. Others sparked debate.
When they reached Nikhil Sharma, Raina spoke first.
"Batting—solid. Bowling—disciplined. Fitness—elite. But more than that… he thinks like a captain."
Kaif nodded. "He's not loud. But he's present. Every match, every moment."
Rameshwar circled Nikhil's name.
Category: All-rounder Leadership Tier: Captaincy Potential
Only four names made it to the captaincy list.
Nikhil was the only one listed as both captain material and all-rounder.
It wasn't a promotion. It was a responsibility.
Meanwhile, On the Ground
The players had been given their routines for the day—batting drills, bowling reps, fielding circuits. But no one was micromanaging.
And yet, the nets were full. The gym was busy. The field buzzed with quiet intensity.
They didn't need instructions anymore.
They knew what was coming.
Nikhil followed his routine with quiet precision—batting against spin, bowling with a wet ball, running his usual Nike train laps. But now, there were additions:
Tactical simulations with assistant coaches.
One-on-one sessions on pressure handling.
Mental conditioning modules in the evening.
He didn't complain.
He just adjusted.