England didn't drop him.
They released him.
The email arrived mid-morning, brief and professionally warm.
Released to county duty. No immediate requirement for upcoming fixtures. Remains under consideration.
Under consideration was England's favourite phrase. It meant nothing had ended, but nothing was being held open either.
Zayn read it once, then archived it. No reply required.
The system registered the shift before he stood up from the table.
[England Jurisdiction Status: Deprioritized]
[Spin Utility Module: Paused]
[Selection Volatility: Increased]
Paused, not removed.
England never erased. They shelved.
The call came that evening.
Different number. Different cadence.
"Zayn Rahman?" the voice asked. Irish accent, clipped but direct. "This is Cricket Ireland."
He listened.
They didn't circle. They didn't flatter. They didn't mention England at all.
They talked about injuries. Depth. A short camp in Dublin ahead of a series that needed bodies who could hold shape.
"We're aware of your eligibility," the selector said. "Nothing binding. Just a look."
A look meant opportunity without promise. It was honest.
Zayn glanced at the second passport lying in his drawer. He hadn't thought about it in years. Not seriously.
"Yes," he said. "I'm available."
When the call ended, the system flickered.
[Alternate National Eligibility Confirmed]
[Jurisdictional Overlap: Active]
[Cross-Board Evaluation Mode: Enabled]
No warnings. No alarms.
Just acknowledgment.
Lauren didn't hesitate when he told her.
"You're not running," she said. "You're answering."
He didn't correct her.
Travel was quiet. No media. No send-offs. He landed in Dublin under low cloud and light rain, the kind that never quite committed to falling.
The Ireland camp was smaller than England's. Fewer staff. Fewer laptops. More eye contact.
First meeting, no speeches.
A coach leaned back in his chair and asked the simplest question Zayn had heard in months.
"What do you bowl best?"
Zayn didn't hedge.
"Seam," he said. Then added, because it was true, "I can cover spin if needed."
The coach nodded. Wrote nothing down.
"That'll do."
The system updated instantly.
[Primary Skill Declaration Logged: Seam Bowling]
[Subsystems: Reset to Dormant]
[Role Classification: Open]
Open felt unfamiliar.
In nets, Zayn bowled seam exclusively. New ball. Old ball. Around the wicket. Over it.
The ball moved. Not dramatically. Just enough to matter.
No one stopped him to suggest alternatives. No one asked him to slow the game down.
One assistant coach watched from behind the net.
"Why didn't England use this more?" he asked casually.
Zayn shrugged. "They didn't need it."
The coach smiled, like he understood more than the answer contained.
The system logged without commentary.
[Seam Proficiency: Reaffirmed]
[Role Volatility: Reduced]
Not safer.
Clearer.
Selection came quickly. No grand announcement. Just a name on a board for a warm-up fixture.
Not a debut. Not yet.
But close.
That night, Zayn sat on the edge of the bed, phone in hand, city quiet outside the window.
England hadn't called.
Ireland hadn't promised anything.
The system displayed one final line before dimming.
[Active Jurisdiction: Under Review]
[Career Path: Diverging]
Zayn turned the phone face down.
For the first time in a long while, he wasn't being boxed.
He was being asked.
And that, he realised, was harder.
But it was his.