The sun dipped low on the final evening of Week 10, casting long shadows across the academy turf. The camp had reached a critical juncture—five weeks of matches, drills, simulations, and eliminations had sculpted the squads into sharper versions of themselves.
Now, only one match remained for each team.
The cross-team simulations were nearly complete.
And the next phase was about to begin.
Updated Points Table – After Two Matches Each
The latest standings were posted outside the strategy room. Each squad had played two matches—one 20-over and one 50-over simulation. The results painted a clearer picture of performance and pressure handling.
Team Captain Matches Played Win Loss Points
Red Group A (Vijay Hazare) Mayank Rawat 2 1 1 2
Red Group B (Vijay Hazare) Divankar Singh 2 1 1 2
Green Group A (Syed Ali) Faizan Qureshi 2 1 1 2
Green Group B (Syed Ali) Rishabh Noorani 2 1 1 2
All four squads were tied on points.
The final round of matches would decide everything—from rankings to shortlist priorities.
The Shift in Focus
Coach Rameshwar addressed the players briefly that evening.
"Week 11 will be your final competitive stretch. One match each. No simulations. Just performance."
He paused.
"Week 12 will focus on well-being, recovery, and medical evaluations. No matches. No drills. Just scans, reports, and mental conditioning."
The mentors would review every metric—fitness, form, adaptability, leadership, and injury risk.
And at the end of Week 11, the final selection list would be released.
No appeals. No extensions.
Nikhil's Reflection
Back in Room 101, Nikhil sat with his notebook open.
He wasn't thinking about the next match.
He was thinking about the next phase.
"Week 10 – Complete Status: 1 win, 1 loss Net Run Rate: +0.15 Final match: Pending Lesson: The table is even. The margin is mental. Fix: Prepare for pressure. Stay loose. Reminder: Week 11 decides the shortlist. Week 12 decides the body."
He placed Veer beside the notebook and leaned back.
The camp was no longer just about cricket.
It was about readiness.
And the threshold was here.