A/N: From now on, I will make Deva get out early a few times to be more realistic, but not all the time. And every match he will not score a century or a half-century. If you don't like, I don't care.
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The euphoria of the 2011 World Cup victory had barely begun to settle into the annals of history when the relentless, grinding machinery of the Indian Premier League roared to life.
For the players, the transition was jarring—a sudden shift from the collective nationalism of the Bleed Blue campaign to the fragmented, tribal loyalties of franchise cricket. The confetti had been swept away, replaced by cheerleaders, strategists, and the heavy humidity of an Indian summer.
The IPL is not a sprint; it is a marathon run at a sprinter's pace. It is a kaleidoscope of airports, hotel lobbies, bus rides, and training nets, repeated on an infinite loop until the days of the week lose meaning and are replaced by "Match Day" and "Travel Day."
For the Deccan Chargers, the 2009 champions, the 2011 season was a mission of reclamation.
In a closed-door meeting at the Taj Krishna in Hyderabad, Darren Lehmann had stood before a whiteboard, a black marker in hand. He drew a circle around the Number 4 slot.
"We don't use a Ferrari to tow a caravan," Lehmann had said, his voice gravelly and definitive. "And we don't use it for a grocery run at the top of the order. Sid, you are the engine. You don't open; you don't finish. You control. You bat at Four. You are the bridge between the top order and the power hitters. You own the middle overs."
Deva had nodded, feeling the weight of the responsibility settle comfortably on his shoulders. The hierarchy was set. Shikhar Dhawan and Sunny Sohal would provide the fire at the top. Sangakkara would anchor at three. Deva would be the pivot at four—the position that demanded the technique of a Test batsman to survive a collapse and the power of a T20 beast to launch an assault.
The machine was built. Now, it had to be tested in the fire.
Match 3: Deccan Chargers vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
The Hyderabad heat was oppressive, a thick blanket that clung to the skin, but it did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the 35,000 fans packing the stadium. The narrative for the broadcasters was simple and mouth-watering: Siddanth Deva vs Virat Kohli. The two young sensations of Indian cricket are facing off.
In the commentary box, Ravi Shastri adjusted his microphone, his voice booming through the broadcast.
"Welcome to Hyderabad! The atmosphere is electric. It is a cauldron of noise. The Deccan Chargers are looking to make a statement at home, but they are up against a Royal Challengers Bangalore side that boasts perhaps the most destructive batting lineup in the history of the format. Gayle, Kohli, de Villiers. It is a frightening prospect."
Sunil Gavaskar, sitting beside him, nodded. "It is, Ravi. But look at the Deccan team sheet. They have stuck to their guns. Siddanth Deva at Number 4. It's a very classical approach in a modern game. They want him to control the spin in the middle overs. It's a position of immense responsibility."
---
RCB won the toss and elected to bat. What followed was a masterclass in modern T20 batting. Tillakaratne Dilshan provided a blistering start, but it was AB de Villiers who stole the show. The South African genius played a knock that defied physics, sweeping fast bowlers and reverse-pulling spinners. He smashed 89 off just 41 balls.
By the time the innings ended, RCB had posted a daunting 195/4. The Deccan Chargers walked off the field, shoulders slightly slumped. 196 was a mountain.
---
The Chargers' response began with a stutter. Shikhar Dhawan, usually so reliable, was deceived by a slower ball from Zaheer Khan in the second over. The crowd groaned. Sunny Sohal tried to counter-attack but perished trying to clear long-on.
The scoreboard read 45/2 in 5.4 overs. The required run rate had already crept above 10.
---
Siddanth Deva walked out to the crease, the noise of the crowd rising to greet him. He punched gloves with his captain, Kumar Sangakkara.
"Don't look at the scoreboard," Sangakkara said, his eyes focused. "Just play the ball. We build for five overs. Then we launch."
Deva took his guard. He marked his crease, tapping the bat hard on the pitch. The first ball he faced was from Daniel Vettori, the wily left-arm spinner. Deva leaned forward, smothering the spin, and pushed it gently to long-off for a single.
For the next six overs, Deva and Sangakkara put on a clinic of risk-free cricket. Deva used his feet beautifully against the spinners, turning ones into twos, finding the gaps with surgical precision. He wasn't hitting boundaries, but he wasn't letting the game die.
By the 12th over, Deccan was 98/2. They were behind the rate, but they had wickets in hand. Deva was batting on 35 off 22 balls. It was time to go.
Vettori came back for his final spell. Deva signaled to the dugout. Time to switch gears.
The first ball was a slider. Deva read it early, rocking back and cutting it past point for four. The crowd roared.
The second ball was tossed up. Deva stepped out, eyes fixed on the leather. He swung through the line, a majestic lofted drive that sailed over extra cover for six.
50 partnership up. Deva moved to 45.
But T20 is a cruel game. Vettori, a veteran of a thousand battles, adjusted his length. He bowled it slower, dragging it wide. Deva, committed to the shot, reached for it. He didn't get to the pitch of the ball. The bat turned in his hand.
The ball skewed off the outer half of the bat, soaring high into the Hyderabad night. The stadium held its breath. Virat Kohli, patrolling the boundary at long-off, settled under it. He took the catch and threw the ball into the ground in celebration.
Deva stood frozen for a second, then tucked his bat under his arm. Out for 45 off 28 balls.
---
With the engine removed, the caravan stalled. The middle order—Christian, White, Duminy—tried to swing from ball one but failed to connect against the old ball. The pressure of the required rate, now touching 14, was too much.
Deccan Chargers finished on 162/8. A loss by 33 runs.
The mood was somber. Lehmann paced the room. "We lost the game in the last five overs," he said bluntly. "Sid, that was the right approach. If you had stayed for two more overs, we would have won that game."
Deva nodded, peeling off his sweat-soaked pads. "I reached for the wide one," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "Should have let it go."
It was a loss, but the strategy remained. The Number 4 slot was his.
Match 4: Deccan Chargers vs Kings XI Punjab
Venue: PCA Stadium, Mohali
If Hyderabad was a celebration of talent, Mohali was an emotional pilgrimage. Adam Gilchrist, the man who had led Deccan to the title in 2009, was now the captain of Kings XI Punjab. The images on the giant screen showed montages of Gilchrist in Deccan colors, bringing tears to the eyes of the traveling fans.
The warm-ups were underway. The Deccan squad was going through fielding drills near the boundary rope, but Deva's eyes were drifting toward the center of the ground where the Punjab players were stretching.
He saw them. A cluster of red jerseys.
Deva handed his practice bat to Pragyan Ojha. "Cover for me. I need to say hello."
"Don't give away our secrets, VC," Ojha grilled.
Deva jogged across the lush outfield. As he approached the Punjab camp, a familiar, high-pitched laugh cut through the air.
"Look who it is!" Dinesh Karthik (DK) shouted, bouncing on his toes, gloves tucked under his arm. "The Vice-Captain himself! Do we need to salute now, Sid?"
Deva grinned, embracing the wicketkeeper. "Only if you drop a catch today, DK. Then I'll accept the salute."
"Dream on," DK chirped, slapping Deva on the back. "I've seen your edges. I know exactly where they fly."
Standing next to DK was Piyush Chawla, spinning a ball from hand to hand. The leg-spinner offered a warm handshake. "Good to see you, Sid."
Deva asks. "You bowling googlies today, PC? Or sticking to the leg break?"
Chawla winked. "For you? I have something special. Don't step out too early."
Then, Adam Gilchrist walked over. He looked strange in the red and silver of Punjab, a stark contrast to the Deccan blue he had made iconic. But the warmth in his eyes was the same.
"Skipper," Deva said, the respect automatic.
"Sid," Gilchrist said, his voice carrying that familiar Australian twang. He pulled Deva into a bear hug. "You've filled out, mate. Shoulders look bigger. And I see the 'VC' next to your name on the team sheet. Proud of you."
"Learned from the best, Gilly," Deva replied earnestly. "It feels weird playing against you."
Gilchrist stepped back, hands on his hips, a competitive glint replacing the nostalgia. "That's the game, son. Franchises change, shirts change. But out there?" He pointed to the pitch. "Out there, I'm going to try to stump you, and you're going to try to hit me into the roof. No mercy."
Deva's smile hardened into a determined grin. "No mercy, Gilly. I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Good lad," Gilchrist nodded. "Now get back to your side before Lehmann thinks I'm recruiting you."
Deva jogged back to the Deccan dugout, the exchange fueling him. He wasn't just playing for points today; he was playing for respect against the men who had seen him grow.
---
Punjab batted first on a belter of a track. But it wasn't Gilchrist who did the damage; it was the unknown entity, Paul Valthaty. The opener played the innings of his life, smashing the Deccan bowlers to all corners of the park. He scored a magnificent century, propelling KXIP to 180/3.
The target was 181. A steep chase, especially against a bowling attack that featured the swing of Praveen Kumar and the leg-spin of Piyush Chawla.
The Chargers' chase was stuttering from the get-go. Dhawan struggled for timing, scoring a run-a-ball 20 before falling. Sangakkara tried to anchor but got bogged down. The required rate climbed steadily: 9, 10, 11.
When Sangakkara fell in the 10th over, the score was a precarious 75/3. The crowd in Mohali was buzzing, sensing a victory.
---
Deva walked out at Number 4, the situation tailor-made for his role. The team didn't need a slogger; they needed a calculator.
He started cautiously. The leg-spinners were operating in tandem. Deva respected the good balls, defending with a straight bat.
Commentary Box:
Danny Morrison: "This is intelligent batting from young Deva. He knows he can't win this in the 12th over. He's taking it deep. He's dragging the game into the final overs where the pressure shifts to the bowler."
By the 16th over, the equation was 55 needed off 24 balls. It looked impossible.
Deva changed his grip. He tapped his helmet.
Over 17 (Piyush Chawla):
Deva stepped out to the first ball—a googly. He read it from the hand. Boom. Six over long-on.
Next ball, short and wide. Deva cut it ferociously. Four through point.
The momentum shifted. 18 runs came off the over.
---
The equation came down to 14 runs off the last over. Praveen Kumar, the master of swing, had the ball.
Deva was stranded at the non-striker's end for the first two balls. The tailender, Manpreet Gony, swung wildly and missed. Dot ball. Then a leg bye.
Deva finally got the strike on the 3rd ball. 13 needed off 3.
Ball 3: Praveen bowled a yorker. Deva anticipated it, shuffling across his stumps to scoop it over fine leg. It was risky, audacious, and perfect. SIX!
7 off 2.
Ball 4: A low full toss. Deva smashed it down the ground. The long-off fielder cut it off. Four runs.
3 off 1.
The stadium was silent. Gilchrist brought the field in.
Ball 5: Praveen Kumar ran in. He nailed the yorker. Deva dug it out, jamming his bat down. The ball rolled to long-on. They ran one. They turned for the second. The throw came in...
"Safe!" the umpire signaled.
Result: Match Tied.
The Super Over
The tension was palpable. Deccan batted first in the Super Over. Sangakkara looked at Deva. "You're seeing it like a football. You go."
Deva walked out with Dan Christian.
He faced Ryan Harris.
Ball 1: Short ball. Deva pulled. The sound of the bat echoed around the stadium. The ball landed in the second tier. SIX.
Ball 2: Full and wide. Deva sliced it over point. SIX.
Deccan posted 15 runs. Punjab could only manage 10.
---
Deva stood with the Man of the Match trophy, sweating but smiling.
Harsha Bhogle: "Siddanth, 13 off 3 balls. What was going through your mind?"
Deva: "I just told myself to watch the ball."
It was a heist. And Deva was the mastermind.
Match 5: Deccan Chargers vs Delhi Daredevils
Venue: Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
Delhi was a different beast. The Kotla pitch was notorious—low, slow, and spinning. It was a graveyard for aggressive batsmen. The Daredevils, led by Virender Sehwag, were dangerous at home.
"Watch the ball stay low," Lehmann warned in the pre-match huddle. "Don't play cross-batted shots. Play straight. Sid, this is your kind of wicket. Technical application."
Deccan batted first. The top order struggled immediately. The ball was stopping on the batsmen. Dhawan chipped one to cover. Sohal was LBW.
Enter Deva at 40/2.
This was a test of patience. Deva realized quickly that boundaries would be hard to come by. He adapted. He played with soft hands, dropping the ball at his feet and stealing quick singles. He worked the angles, frustrating the Delhi bowlers who were looking for wickets.
He batted for 15 overs, scoring 45 runs off 35 balls. It wasn't flashy, but on this pitch, it was gold dust. It allowed heavy hitters like Dan Christian to come in at the end and swing freely, pushing the score to a competitive 168.
---
The Daredevils' chase was spearheaded by Sehwag. He was in a murderous mood, batting on 60 and threatening to finish the game early.
In the 14th over, Sangakkara, running out of options, threw the ball to Deva. "Just mix it up," he said.
Deva marked his run-up. He saw Sehwag backing away, ready to slash. Deva delivered a knuckleball—a slower delivery that dipped late. Sehwag was through his shot too early. The ball took the top edge and looped gently to the keeper.
The danger man was gone. Deccan strangled the rest of the lineup, winning by 15 runs.
---
Match 6: Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
This was the big one. The stadium was packed three hours before the start. Mumbai Indians were the galacticos of the IPL. Sachin Tendulkar. Rohit Sharma. Kieron Pollard. Lasith Malinga.
The noise when Sachin walked out to bat was deafening. Even the Hyderabad crowd, loyal to the Chargers, couldn't help but chant "Sa-chin! Sa-chin!"
Mumbai batted first. Sachin played a classic innings of 70, anchoring the side while Rohit Sharma, playing against his old team, smashed a quickfire 40. Mumbai posted 178—a par score, but against the Mumbai bowling attack, it felt like 200.
---
Deccan's chase began disastrously. Lasith Malinga bowled Sunny Sohal with a yorker in the first over. Dhawan played a rash shot to point.
The Crisis: 30/2 in 6 overs.
---
The crowd was silent. The game seemed lost. But Deva, walking out to join Sangakara, looked unperturbed.
"We take it one over at a time," Deva told Sangakara. "Don't let Harbhajan settle."
This was Deva's finest batting display yet, despite the eventual result. He played Harbhajan with incredible skill, using the depth of the crease to cut and pull. He didn't slog; he dissected the field.
He and Duminy rebuilt the innings, stitching together a 100-run partnership. The crowd began to believe again.
---
18th Over. 28 runs needed.
Lasith Malinga, the best death bowler in the world, had the ball.
Deva was on strike. He was batting on 65.
Ball 1: Malinga steamed in, his slingy action almost impossible to read. A fast yorker. Deva dug it out. Dot ball.
Ball 2: Malinga tried a slower ball. Deva picked it from the hand. He waited, then swatted it over cover for Four.
Ball 3: Malinga went round the wicket. He aimed for the toes. The ball swung in late, dipping viciously.
Deva's bat came down at the speed of light, but Malinga's thunderbolt was faster. The ball crashed into the boot before the bat could make contact.
"HOWZAT!" Malinga screamed.
The umpire's finger went up instantly.
Deva stared at the pitch for a second, the pain in his toe masked by the pain of the dismissal. He walked back to a standing ovation, but he knew the job was incomplete.
Without him, the tail couldn't handle Malinga. Deccan lost by 20 runs.
---
The silence was heavy. Not the silence of anger, but of exhaustion. Deva sat with an ice pack on his foot.
Sangakkara walked over. "You took us close, Sid. Against that attack, from 30/3... that was world-class."
"Close isn't enough," Deva replied, staring at the floor.
---
Match 7: Deccan Chargers vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala
Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi
The team traveled to Kochi, a venue known for its humidity and its turning track. The management knew this was a crucial game to keep their playoff hopes alive. They were mid-table. A win here would propel them upward.
"Forget the Mumbai game," Lehmann told the squad at breakfast. "Today is a test of character. The pitch will turn square. Sid, you ready?"
Deva, limping slightly from the toe injury, nodded. "I'm ready."
---
Kochi Tuskers batted first. The Deccan bowlers were disciplined. Ishant Sharma produced a magical spell, taking 5 wickets and ripping through the Kochi top order. They were restricted to 129.
It seemed like an easy chase, but looks were deceiving. The pitch was a dustbowl.
Deccan started nervously. Sohal was out for a duck. Dhawan tried to attack Muralitharan and was caught at slip.
Score: 45/2. The ball was spitting off the surface like a cobra.
Enter Deva.
He walked out to face the greatest spinner of all time, Muttiah Muralitharan.
Sangakkara met him mid-pitch. "Soft hands," the captain whispered. "Don't push at it. Let the ball come to you."
Deva's innings was a technical masterclass. He didn't try to dominate Murali; he neutralized him. He played deep in the crease, watching the ball out of the hand. When Murali tossed it up, Deva smothered the spin. When he dropped it short, Deva punched it off the back foot.
It wasn't exciting for the casual fan, but for the purist, it was art.
He and Sangakkara took the score to 100/2. The danger was averted. The required runs were now a formality.
---
With victory in sight, Deva decided to provide some entertainment for the crowd. Ravindra Jadeja came on to bowl the 16th over.
Deva stepped out. He didn't hit with the spin; he went inside-out, carving the ball over extra cover against the turn. It was a shot of supreme confidence. SIX.
Next ball, he reversed his stance. The reverse sweep cracked off the bat. FOUR.
He remained unbeaten on 48*. Sangakkara finished on 45*.
Deccan Chargers won by 8 wickets.
---
Back in the hotel room, the mood was light. The anxiety of the experimentation phase was gone.
Deva sat on his bed, icing his knees. Ojha walked in with a plate of kebabs.
"So," Ojha said, stealing a kebab. "Number 4. You like it?"
Deva leaned back, closing his eyes. "It feels right, Pragyan. I get to face spin. I get to face pace. I get to build an innings. I'm not rushing, and I'm not waiting."
"Good," Ojha grinned. "Because we have 7 games left. And if we play like this, we are making the playoffs."
Deva opened one eye. "Playoffs? I'm thinking about the trophy."
He picked up his phone. He had a notification from the Flash Meseeneger app.
[Stock Alert: Nvidia (NVDA) up 15% this week.]
Deva smiled. The cricket was settled. The business was booming. The system was humming.
"Life is good," Deva whispered.
He picked up a kebab. "Ojha, fire up the PlayStation. I'm feeling lucky tonight."
"Dream on, Number 4," Ojha laughed, tossing a controller. "On the pitch, you are the boss. In FIFA, you are still a rookie."
The laughter echoed in the room, the sound of a team that had found its rhythm, and a player who had found his place. The Charging Bulls were finally running in the same direction.