Victories don't end when the last run is scored.
They linger.
In conversations.
In scorebooks.
In the quiet notes scribbled by men who don't clap but remember.
For Aarav Malhotra, the morning after the final felt strangely calm.
No cheers.
No crowds.
Just routine.
---
## 🌅 THE MORNING AFTER
Aarav woke up before his alarm.
The ceiling fan hummed softly above him. Sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of their modest Mumbai apartment. On the small table beside his bed lay his kit bag, still dusty, pads half-unzipped, gloves shoved in carelessly the night before.
He sat up slowly.
His body felt tired.
His mind felt… steady.
In his previous life, this stage had been chaos.
Media.
Praise.
Noise.
This time, there was silence.
And it felt right.
---
## 👨👩👦 FAMILY MOMENT
In the kitchen, his father, **Rohit Malhotra**, was already dressed for work, reading the newspaper while sipping tea. The sports page was folded open.
Not on the front.
But there.
A small column.
> *"Young opener Aarav Malhotra shines in inter-academy final, scores 82* and takes 3 wickets."*
Rohit looked up when Aarav entered.
"They wrote about you," he said simply.
Aarav glanced at the paper.
Read the line.
Handed it back.
"Good," he said. "That means they noticed."
His mother, **Neha Malhotra**, smiled softly while packing his tiffin.
"Eat properly," she said.
"No matches today doesn't mean no training."
Aarav nodded.
This—
This grounding—
Was something he hadn't valued enough before.
---
## 🏏 BACK AT SHIVAJI PARK
By afternoon, Aarav was back at the nets.
Not because he was told to.
Because he wanted to be.
Coach Kulkarni watched from a distance, arms crossed, saying nothing as Aarav went through his routine.
Shadow practice.
Footwork drills.
Drop-and-hit.
Soft hands.
No power shots.
No flair.
Just foundation.
---
## 🧠 SYSTEM STATUS CHECK
As Aarav finished his session, the familiar translucent interface flickered briefly in his vision.
---
### 🧠 CRICKET TEMPLATE SYSTEM
**Active Template:** KL Rahul (Foundational Phase)
- Batting Technique: Stabilized
- Match Temperament: Mature
- Adaptability: High
**Next Milestone Detected:**
➡️ **Mumbai U-14 Selection Pathway**
**Requirement:**
- Consistent performance
- Technical evaluation
- Mental composure under trials
---
Aarav exhaled slowly.
U-14.
The real ladder was beginning.
---
## 👀 THE WATCHERS
Two men stood near the boundary rope, speaking quietly.
They weren't parents.
They weren't academy coaches.
They wore plain shirts.
No caps.
No cheering.
Selectors.
Coach Kulkarni walked over to them.
Introductions were made.
Names exchanged.
Aarav noticed.
He always noticed.
---
## 🧾 POST-TOURNAMENT REVIEW
That evening, the academy held a brief meeting.
Players sat on the grass.
Sweaty.
Relaxed.
Coach Kulkarni stood in front.
"You all played well," he said.
"But understand this—tournaments like these don't give you careers."
He looked directly at Aarav.
"They give you chances."
A pause.
"Mumbai U-14 trials will be announced soon. Some of you will be called. Some of you won't."
Murmurs rippled through the group.
"This is where discipline matters more than talent."
---
## 🏠 QUIET REFLECTION
At night, Aarav sat by the window of his room.
The city buzzed below.
Local trains clattered in the distance.
Life moved on.
He flexed his fingers slowly.
In his past life, this was where impatience had crept in.
Where he'd tried to jump ahead.
To force timelines.
This time—
He wouldn't rush.
---
## 🧠 INTERNAL MONOLOGUE
> *I don't need to dominate every match.*
> *I just need to be undeniable.*
KL Rahul's template wasn't about brute force.
It was about control.
Longevity.
Class.
Perfect for this phase.
---
## 📞 THE CALL
Three days later.
The phone rang in the afternoon.
Neha answered.
"Yes… yes… this is Aarav's mother."
A pause.
Her eyes widened slightly.
She covered the receiver and looked toward Aarav.
"It's for you."
Aarav took the phone calmly.
---
"Hello, this is Aarav Malhotra."
A formal voice responded.
"This is from the Mumbai Cricket Association junior selection panel."
Aarav listened without interrupting.
"You are invited to attend the **Mumbai U-14 preliminary trials** next month."
Details followed.
Dates.
Venue.
Reporting time.
"Do you confirm availability?"
"Yes," Aarav replied. "I'll be there."
The call ended.
---
## 🧾 NO CELEBRATION
His mother hugged him instinctively.
His father nodded once.
"Good," Rohit said.
"Now work harder."
Aarav smiled faintly.
This was not the destination.
This was the gate.
---
## 🧠 SYSTEM CONFIRMATION
The interface appeared once more, steady and clear.
---
### 🧠 PATH UNLOCKED
**Upcoming Arc:** Mumbai U-14 Trials
**Future Template Condition:**
➡️ **AB de Villiers Template – Locked**
*Unlock Condition: Dominant U-14 Performance*
---
Aarav clenched his fist lightly.
He knew what AB's template meant.
Innovation.
Freedom.
Fearlessness.
But first—
He had to earn it.
---
He turned off the light and lay down.
Tomorrow—
Training would begin again.
Not as a tournament hero.
But as a boy with eyes on something far bigger.
--chapter 8 end--