The first real test did not come in nets.
It came with an opponent wearing a different jersey.
Aarav stood at the edge of the Shivaji Park ground, watching another academy warm up. Their kits were newer. Their players taller. Some looked almost ready for district cricket.
This wasn't practice anymore.
This was comparison.
---
## 🏏 INTER-ACADEMY TOURNAMENT
**Match:** Shivaji Park Academy vs Goregaon Cricket Academy
**Format:** 25 Overs
**Venue:** Cross Maidan, Mumbai
Coach Kulkarni gathered the boys.
"Play cricket," he said simply.
"Not reputation."
Aarav opened the batting again.
---
## 🧾 TOSS
Goregaon won the toss and chose to bowl.
The pitch was uneven.
The outfield slow.
Perfect to expose impatience.
---
## 🏏 SHIVAJI PARK ACADEMY – BATTING
### Opening Overs
**Over 1 – Right-arm medium (Goregaon)**
- 1.2: Length ball → Soft hands, guided past gully (FOUR)
- 1.5: Short → Controlled pull along the ground (FOUR)
Aarav didn't rush.
He mapped the field.
---
**Over 2 – Left-arm medium**
- Tight line
- Aarav left three balls deliberately
The bowler frowned.
---
### Early Pressure
At the other end, the senior opener edged one.
*3.4 overs – c slip b left-arm medium*
The whispering began.
"Now the kid has to bat."
---
## 🧠 SYSTEM RESPONSE
---
### 🧠 KL RAHUL TEMPLATE – MATCH ADAPTATION
- Outside-Off Discipline: +8%
- Shot Selection Delay Activated
- Risk Index Lowered
---
Aarav slowed even further.
---
## 🕰️ Middle Phase Control
**Over 6 – Off-spin introduced**
- Flighted ball → Step forward, straight bat
- Short ball → Late cut for two
No sweeps.
No big hits.
He rotated strike.
---
### Score at 10 Overs:
**Shivaji Park: 54/1**
- Aarav: **32 (38 balls)**
The Goregaon captain changed fields twice.
Nothing worked.
---
## ⚡ SHIFTING GEARS
Aarav sensed the bowlers tiring.
---
**Over 12 – Right-arm medium**
- Overpitched → Cover drive (FOUR)
- Short → Back-foot punch (FOUR)
Two shots.
Same result.
---
**Over 14 – Off-spin**
- Step out
- Lofted cleanly over mid-on
Six.
The quiet crowd stirred.
---
## 🧾 PARTNERSHIP
Aarav guided his partner constantly.
"Soft hands."
"Single's there."
Leadership without noise.
---
### Over 18 – Acceleration
- 18.2: Sweep → FOUR
- 18.4: Reverse sweep → FOUR
The bowler froze.
---
## 🧾 DISMISSAL
**Over 20 – Right-arm medium**
- Slower ball
- Aarav tried to place it over cover
*c deep extra cover b right-arm medium*
---
### Aarav Malhotra:
**78 runs (61 balls)**
- 10 fours
- 1 six
- Strike Rate: **127.86**
Not explosive.
But complete.
---
## 🏏 SHIVAJI PARK ACADEMY – TOTAL
**178/5 (25 overs)**
A defendable total on this pitch.
---
## 🏏 GOREGAON CRICKET ACADEMY – CHASE
Aarav took position at short cover.
He was everywhere.
---
### Fielding Impact
- **Over 4:** Direct-hit run-out from cover
- **Over 9:** Sharp catch at backward point
Two wickets.
Momentum broken.
---
### Bowling Cameos
Coach gave Aarav two overs.
Not fast.
Accurate.
**Figures:**
- 2–0–11–1
Wicket:
*c mid-wicket b Aarav*
---
## 🧾 RESULT
**Shivaji Park Academy won by 36 runs**
---
## 🧠 AFTERMATCH
The Goregaon coach approached Kulkarni quietly.
"How old is he?"
Kulkarni answered without pride.
"Ten."
The other man shook his head.
"He shouldn't be here."
Kulkarni disagreed.
"He belongs exactly here."
---
## 🏠 HOME
That night, Aarav's father looked at the scorebook again.
"You're separating from the others," he said.
Aarav nodded.
"That's the point."
In his first life, he had blended in too long.
This time—
He would separate early.
And never look back.
--chapter 3 end--