The grey clouds over Trent Bridge had parted, leaving a cool, English evening bathed in soft sunshine. It was June 16, 2009. The final Group E match of the Super 8s.
India vs. South Africa.
In many ways, this was the "perfect" match. Both teams had crushed their opposition. Both had already qualified for the Semi-Finals. The pressure of elimination was gone, replaced by a battle for psychological dominance. It was the World Number 1 ranking versus the Defending Champions.
"Welcome to Nottingham!" Shaun Pollock's voice, smooth and measured, opened the broadcast. "It's a sell-out crowd for what is essentially a dress rehearsal for the final. India and South Africa, the two unbeaten juggernauts, going head-to-head. No pressure of points today, just pride."
"Pride is a powerful motivator, Polly," Ravi Shastri countered. "Neither Dhoni nor Smith will want to lose momentum. Winning is a habit. You don't want to break the chain before a semi-final."
The Toss
MS Dhoni and Graeme Smith walked out. The two captains shared a joke, relaxed in their body language.
Dhoni flipped the coin.
"Heads," Smith called.
It was Tails.
"We'll bowl," Dhoni said with a smile. "The wicket looks a bit sticky. Might stop a bit early on. We'll chase whatever they set."
In the Indian huddle, the mood was light but focused.
"Same intensity," Dhoni said. "Don't relax just because we're through. Sid, you've got the second over. Gibbsy is your IPL teammate. You know him best."
Siddanth nodded. He looked at Herschelle Gibbs, who was marking his guard. Gibbs gave him a wink.
Game on.
The First Innings
Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs opened for the Proteas.
Zaheer Khan started with a maiden over to Smith, swinging the ball prodigiously.
Over 2
Siddanth took the ball. He wasn't bowling 150kph today. He was testing his control.
Ball 1: 142kph. Outswinger. Gibbs left it alone.
Ball 2: Siddanth bowled the Wobble Seam. It nipped back. Gibbs defended awkwardly to mid-on.
"Deva vs. Gibbs," Harsha Bhogle said. "Teammates at the Deccan Chargers. They won the IPL together just weeks ago. Now, opponents. Gibbs knows Deva's pace, but does he know the variations?"
Ball 3: Gibbs grew impatient. He stepped out, looking to loft Siddanth over covers—a shot he played often in the IPL nets.
Siddanth had anticipated it.
He didn't bowl the length ball. He banged it in short. 146kph. Ideally placed at the left shoulder.
Gibbs was cramped. He tried to pull, but he was too close to the ball. The splice of the bat jarred.
The ball ballooned gently to Suresh Raina at short cover.
WICKET 1: H. Gibbs c. Raina b. Deva 2.
Siddanth didn't celebrate wildly. He just smiled at Gibbs. Gibbs shook his head, mouthing 'Too quick', and walked off.
"And the youngster wins the battle!" Pollock conceded. "He cramped him for room. Gibbs tried to manufacture a shot that wasn't there. Early blood for India."
The AB de Villiers Show
Then, AB de Villiers walked in.
The Original.
Siddanth stood at mid-off, watching the man who had provided the template for his own success. It was like looking in a mirror.
AB didn't waste time.
He drove Zaheer for four. He swept Harbhajan for six.
Graeme Smith anchored, scoring a gritty 26 before being run out by a brilliant throw from Yuvraj Singh.
But AB was on a different planet.
Siddanth came back to bowl in the 12th over.
Siddanth vs. AB.
Ball 1: Siddanth bowled a 148kph yorker.
AB, with those impossible reflexes, opened the face and steered it to third man. Four.
Ball 2: Siddanth bowled a bouncer.
AB hooked it. It landed in the crowd. Six.
Siddanth felt a strange mix of frustration and admiration. So that's what it feels like to bowl to me.
He was analyzing the movements. High backlift. Still head. Late hands.
He was learning even as he was being hit.
AB raced to 63. He was looking set for a hundred.
But in the 16th over, trying to reverse-sweep Harbhajan, he got a top edge and was caught by Dhoni.
AB de Villiers: 63 (45 balls).
The Death Overs: The Cleanup
South Africa was 110 for 4. JP Duminy was scratching around.
Siddanth came back for the 19th over.
He was bowling to Mark Boucher, the veteran keeper.
"Deva at the death," Shastri said. "He has been expensive against AB, but can he close it out?"
Ball 1: 152kph. Yorker. Boucher dug it out.
Ball 2: 110kph Slower Ball. Duminy missed.
Ball 3: Boucher on strike. He tried to scoop.
Siddanth saw it. He bowled wide and full.
Boucher had to reach. He sliced it high.
Rohit Sharma ran in from deep point and took a safe catch.
WICKET 2: M. Boucher c. Rohit b. Deva 5.
Siddanth finished his spell.
4 overs, 28 runs, 2 wickets.
JP Duminy struggled to 10.
South Africa finished on 130 for 5.
It was a below-par score. The Indian bowlers had strangled them after AB's dismissal.
The Second Innings
The lights took full effect. 131 to win.
Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma walked out.
The South African attack—Steyn, Morkel, Botha—was formidable, but the target was small.
The Start
Gambhir and Rohit started cautiously. Steyn was bowling rockets.
Over 4: Gambhir cut Morkel for four.
Over 5: Rohit pulled Steyn for six.
They looked comfortable.
But in the 6th over, Gambhir tried to run a ball down to third man and chopped it onto his stumps off Wayne Parnell.
WICKET 1: G. Gambhir b. Parnell 21.
India: 40 for 1.
Siddanth Deva stood up in the dugout, grabbing his helmet. He was the Number 3. The anchor.
He adjusted his gloves, ready to walk out.
A hand stopped him.
It was MS Dhoni.
The Captain was already padded up, holding his bat.
"Sit down, Sid," Dhoni said, a small, mischievous smile on his face.
Siddanth blinked. "Mahi-bhai?"
"It's a dead rubber," Dhoni said, stretching his neck. "We've qualified. I haven't had much time in the middle of this tournament. I want to stretch my legs before the semi-final."
Siddanth understood instantly. Dhoni wanted match practice. He wanted to feel the ball on the bat in a low-pressure chase.
"Go for it, Skipper," Siddanth nodded, sitting back down. "Finish it off."
"Surprise, surprise!" David Lloyd exclaimed on commentary. "Siddanth Deva was ready to go, but the Captain has promoted himself! MS Dhoni walks out at number three! We haven't seen this in a while!"
Dhoni walked out. He started slowly, rotating the strike.
Rohit Sharma was looking good. He hit a beautiful lofted drive over cover.
They took the score to 63.
Then, Rohit tried to clear long-on off Johan Botha. He didn't get to the pitch.
Caught.
WICKET 2: R. Sharma c. AB b. Botha 29.
India: 63 for 2 (11 Overs).
68 runs needed.
Siddanth stood up again. Okay, surely now.
He picked up his bat.
Yuvraj Singh stood up next to him.
Yuvraj looked at Siddanth, then at the scoreboard.
"Sid," Yuvraj said, putting a hand on Siddanth's shoulder. "You've bowled 4 overs. You've played every match. You carried us against England and West Indies."
He gently pushed Siddanth back onto the bench.
"Rest, kid. Put your feet up. Have a drink. I need some batting practice too."
Siddanth looked at Yuvraj. Then he smiled.
It was a mark of respect. He wasn't being dropped; he was being preserved. He was a key asset, too valuable to waste on a chase in a dead rubber.
"Go get 'em, Yuvi-pa," Siddanth said, relaxing into the seat. "Don't leave it too late."
"Well, this is interesting," Gavaskar noted. "Deva sits back down. Yuvraj Singh goes in. The seniors are taking responsibility today. They want to ensure the engine room is oiled for the knockouts. And perhaps, they want to give the young man a well-deserved breather."
Siddanth sat in the dugout, his legs stretched out, a bottle of Gatorade in his hand. He watched.
It was a masterclass in finishing.
Dhoni and Yuvraj didn't panic. They didn't slog.
They nudged. They ran hard. They hit the bad balls.
Yuvraj hit a massive six over mid-wicket off Botha.
Dhoni helicoptered Morkel for four.
They took the game deep, as they always did.
In the 19th over, 4 runs needed.
Dhoni faced Steyn.
He punched a length ball through the covers.
FOUR.
India Won by 8 wickets.
MS Dhoni: 45 (35 balls).*
Yuvraj Singh: 36 (28 balls).*
Siddanth ran onto the field to high-five them. He hadn't batted. He hadn't faced a ball. But he felt fresh. His energy reserves were topped up.
In Hyderabad:
The community hall was relaxed today. No tension. Just tea and biscuits.
"He didn't bat," Sesikala said, sounding slightly disappointed. "I wanted to see him hit a six."
Vikram laughed, sipping his tea. "Sesi, look at it this way. Our son is so important to the Indian team that the Captain and Vice Captain told him to rest. They are treating him like a prince! He needs his energy for the semi-final."
Sesikala thought about it. "A prince," she smiled. "Yes. That is good. He needs rest."
Arjun's Text:
"Dude! Paid holiday? Dhoni is doing your job for you? Must be nice being the VVIP! Get ready for the Semis!"
In the Studio:
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "My friend! This is a strategy! This is chess! You do not bring out the heavy artillery to kill a mosquito! You save the Brahmastra for the war! Deva is the Brahmastra! Dhoni knows this! He is keeping the powder dry!"
Harsha Bhogle: "It's a smart move. Deva has had a heavy workload. Bowling 4 overs every game, batting in pressure situations. Giving him a mental break, letting him watch from the sidelines while the seniors finish the job... it keeps him hungry. He will be itching to go in the semi-final."
The Dressing Room
The team was happy. Undefeated in the Super 8s.
Gary Kirsten pinned the Semi-Final fixtures on the board.
Semi-Final 1: South Africa vs. Pakistan.
Semi-Final 2: India vs. Sri Lanka.
A rematch of the bilateral series.
"Sri Lanka again," Dhoni said, unstrapping his pads. "Mendis. Murali. Malinga. They'll be waiting for us."
He looked at Siddanth.
"You rested today, Sid?"
"Yes, Skipper."
"Good," Dhoni's eyes were sharp. "Because against Sri Lanka... I'm going to need you to do everything. Bat, bowl, field. No rest in the semi-final."
Siddanth nodded.
"I'm ready, Mahi-bhai."
The bus ride back to the hotel was quiet. The group stage was over. The real tournament—the knockouts—was about to begin.
Siddanth looked out at the English countryside.
Two matches. Two wins.
And the World Cup would stay in India.