Chapter 11: Trial Day [1]
3 weeks later at School Playground.
Raghav (POV)
Finally the day of trial for the selection in school team came.
I was standing in the ground with others classmates from different class who are here to get selected for the team.
In this hot weather we are waiting for our turn to showcase our talent as we are standing in assembly line at this playground.
In the ground there were three net crease for training in this dusty ground. In the middle of the there were dozens of upperclass boys practicing shots.
Today there were minimum sixty students came for in the participating in this competition to occupy the fifteen desirable slots in the school team.
I was standing on the last of the line Waiting for turn and I was not wasting my time as was doing stretching with legs and some basic exercise.
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He felt like an imposter standing there because most of the other boys were larger, broader and appeared much sportive.
They joked and laughed with a carefree confidence and they were typically repeatedly the joke one after another behind his back.
The center of one of such groups was Vikram Singh, a well-built and tall boy of the tenth standard.
He was the star batsman of the year before, and the captain unofficially, and he went about with an easy insolence which showed that he had no anxiety about his position.
While others were at stressed but Raghav, was perfectly at ease .However, underneath of his calm expressions, there was confidence of quiet assurance which he had never previously experienced.
He said to himself in mind.'I should believe in myself and in my hard work that I done past 4 weeks even without system quest I have keep doing my physical training regularly...so I even I don't have talent in it but I.... have work harder than other and th... that is my talent..'
Just he was motivating himself to concentrate in his own not in others.
Phhuuwwweeeeet-Phheeew~
There was a whistle of sharpness which broke the conversation of the students and immediately grab there attention.
Everyone turn there head to the whistle sound and then we saw....
A man came out of the sports room and carried a clipboard and a whistle around his neck.
He has board shoulders and fit figure, his eyes were shape narrow.
This was the physical education teacher and the cricket coach of the school and his name is Mr. Keshav Sharma.
'If I remember correctly, he never talk lots but when it came to physical education period he quite serious and even in his past life trial he started with very tough training and there is also another aspect where he became strict when it comes to discipline.'
'When it comes to indiscipline he doesn't forgive easily because he even punish the students who came late to training.'
"Listen up! Boys " he called, and his voice was easily audible to each and everyone on the field.
"My name is Keshav and you all may refer to me as Coach Sharma.This is my ground, and I will have my rules, the next two days. I am not searching after superstars. "
He paused for us so we could digest his words and understand the meaning behind it,after few seconds he continued.
"I am not in search of the boy who can get the biggest six. I need cricketers- boys who are disciplined, strong and well-mannered.....Is that clear boys?"
Everyone voice rang out simultaneously as they says "Yes, sir!"
"Well ... "said Mr. Sharma,".... and that was all about my intro.....so now we shall talk about training...shall we boys."
We all said together "Yes sir"
Coach Sarma nod to our response and began to walk between our assembly line and he said.
"First we should start with warm up training."
Now everyone was wondering what this warm up training and I know what task he will be give us as I was mentally ready.
But other students were on there fantasy of warm up training facility of star cricketers. But there imaginary thoughts didn't last long as coach next sentence bring them to reality.
" we will run five laps around the ground....so Let's Goooo....!"
All the students collective groan was heard, but no one dared to disobey.
The boys rushed on in a crowd as they started to run as they circle around the playground.
Raghav, conscious of his training, had made his way deliberately near the rear, and his running posture of a marathon runners as he maintain a steady pace, conserve energy by not starting too fast, and focus on proper running .
His grown-up brain had understood that it was not a race, it was a trial of stamina.
At the second lap, fifty percent of students had substantially been thinned out as they keep stopping to catch your breath while running.
Those boys were who had been started running faster at the beginning but now they were like walking corpse, coughing out.
By the fourth lap, a sizable number of students had fallen out completely holding their sides.
Raghav, however, kept his pace. His breathing was deep and his stamina bar in the system interface stood at almost zero.
He was not particularly quick, but was everlastingly constant. He began to pass the first runners and his jogging stride appeared as breezy as a welcome wind compared with the heaving, coughing of the others.
He completed his five laps and made it into the top 10. He even didn't stop to catch his breath while running .
When he came back walking calmly he notice with his keen eyes that Mr. Sharma stare remain fixed upon him.
'I can see in his eye that he is little surprise, by my performance perhaps or I havefinally catch his interest in me....Otherwise why will the coach stare at me with unemotional gaze. '
As I was trying to find a reasonable answer too his stare upon me and I noticed him moment that he had done with his carrying clipboard.
(To be Continue)