Chapter 67: The God and the Apprentice
The flight from Hyderabad to Mumbai was unlike the previous ones. There was no loud music, no prank wars, and even Shane Warne's usual banter was dialed down to a murmur.
The Rajasthan Royals were top of the table, unbeaten in three games. They were the "Moneyball" miracle. But they were flying into the lion's den.
Mumbai. The Wankhede Stadium.
And waiting for them was not just a cricket team. It was a religion.
Mumbai Indians.
Led by the man who stopped time in India. Sachin Tendulkar.
Aryan sat by the window, watching the familiar coastline of Mumbai appear beneath the clouds. The Sea Link was under construction, a jagged line in the water. The slums, the skyscrapers, the dust, the chaos—it was home.
But for the first time in his life, he was arriving as an invader.
"Nervous?"
Aryan turned. Shane Warne was sitting next to him, reading a magazine. He hadn't looked up, but he sensed the mood.
