The jersey arrived folded.
Neat.
White.
Unassuming.
But Aarav Malhotra didn't touch it immediately.
Because everyone who had ever played cricket in India knew one truth—
Wearing blue doesn't add weight to your shoulders.
It adds weight to your decisions.
---
## 🇮🇳 INDIA U-19 SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT
**Event:** Press Conference
**Location:** NCA Auditorium, Bengaluru
**Tournament:** ICC U-19 World Cup Preparation Phase
Cameras.
Reporters.
Selectors seated behind a long table.
Sixteen chairs in front.
Only fifteen names would matter.
---
## 🧾 THE ANNOUNCEMENT
The chief selector adjusted his glasses.
"Captain—Aarav Malhotra."
No pause.
No drama.
Just certainty.
A low murmur filled the room.
---
### 🏏 INDIA U-19 SQUAD (CORE)
- **Aarav Malhotra (C)** – Mumbai | Batting All-rounder
- **Virat Kohli (VC)** – Delhi | Middle Order
- **Rohit Sharma** – Mumbai | Opener
- **Cheteshwar Pujara** – Saurashtra | Anchor
- **Manish Pandey** – Karnataka | Stroke-maker
- **Ravindra Jadeja** – Saurashtra | Spin All-rounder
- **Wriddhiman Saha** – Bengal | Wicketkeeper
- **Ishant Sharma** – Delhi | Fast Bowler
- **Varun Aaron** – Jharkhand | Fast Bowler
- **Abhimanyu Mithun** – Karnataka | Seam
- **Amit Mishra** – Haryana | Leg-spin
- **Ravichandran Ashwin** – Tamil Nadu | Off-spin
- **Saurabh Tiwary** – Jharkhand | Middle Order
- **Umesh Yadav** – Vidarbha | Fast Bowler
- **Pragyan Ojha** – Hyderabad | Left-arm spin
Balanced.
Power.
Technique.
Temperament.
And one leader holding it together.
---
## 🧠 SYSTEM STATUS – NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY DETECTED
---
### 🧠 ACTIVE TEMPLATES
✔ KL Rahul – Captaincy Calm
✔ AB de Villiers – Situation Reading
✔ Dale Steyn – Match Control Under Pressure
**System Advisory:**
➡️ Leadership decisions now affect others' performance
➡️ Tactical clarity required
➡️ Emotional restraint critical
---
## 🧢 FIRST TEAM MEETING
No speeches from coaches.
They let the captain speak.
All eyes shifted.
Aarav stood.
No raised voice.
No theatrics.
---
### Aarav:
"We're not here to prove talent.
Everyone here has that.
We're here to prove reliability.
If you're in trouble—call for me.
If I'm in trouble—I expect you to stand."
Short.
Clear.
Effective.
Virat nodded.
Jadeja smirked.
Ishant leaned back, satisfied.
Authority established without force.
---
## 🏟️ PRE-WORLD CUP PRACTICE MATCH 1
**India U-19 vs Karnataka U-19 (Invited XI)**
**Format:** 50 Overs
**Venue:** KSCA Ground, Bengaluru
Selectors watched quietly.
This was evaluation disguised as practice.
---
## 🏏 INDIA U-19 – FIRST INNINGS
India batted first.
Early nerves.
---
### Score at 7 Overs:
**India U-19: 29/2**
Rohit gone.
Pandey edged.
The dressing room stiffened.
Aarav walked in.
---
## 🧠 KL TEMPLATE – NATIONAL COLORS MODE
Different pressure.
Same response.
---
### Bowlers Operating:
- **Vinay Kumar**
- **Abhimanyu Mithun**
Late movement.
Full lengths.
Aarav didn't chase.
---
### Over 10
On-drive.
Perfect balance.
**FOUR.**
The first boundary settled nerves.
---
## 🏏 PARTNERSHIP WITH VIRAT KOHLI
Two captains.
Two styles.
---
### Over 14
Short ball.
Virat pulled.
**FOUR.**
---
### Over 16
Aarav flicked off the pads.
**FOUR.**
The rhythm returned.
---
### Score at 20 Overs:
**India U-19: 92/2**
Control regained.
---
## 🧾 HALF-CENTURY IN BLUE
Over 23.
Single to long-on.
---
### Aarav Malhotra:
**50 (61 balls)**
No fist pump.
Just a nod.
---
## 🧠 AB TEMPLATE – CALCULATED SHIFT
Aarav opened up.
---
### Over 26 – Mithun
Overpitched.
Lofted straight.
**SIX.**
---
### Over 28
Reverse sweep.
**FOUR.**
Field scattered.
---
## 🏏 LATE INNINGS
Virat fell at 42.
Jadeja joined.
Acceleration planned.
---
### Over 38
Shorter length.
Pulled hard.
**FOUR.**
---
### Over 40
Slower ball.
Picked early.
**SIX.**
---
### Aarav's Innings:
**92 (104 balls)**
- 9 fours
- 2 sixes
Retired out as planned.
---
## 🏏 INDIA U-19 – TOTAL
**268/7 (50 overs)**
Competitive.
Professional.
---
## 🏏 KARNATAKA U-19 – CHASE
They attacked early.
---
### Score at 10 Overs:
**Karnataka U-19: 54/1**
Aarav took responsibility.
---
## 🧠 STEYN TEMPLATE – EARLY BREAK
---
### Over 11 – First Ball
Back of length.
---
### WICKET!
Edge.
**c Saha b Aarav**
---
### Over 13
Full and straight.
---
### WICKET!
LBW.
Finger up.
---
### Figures:
**5–0–19–2**
Momentum halted.
---
## 🏏 SPIN STRANGLE
Ashwin.
Ojha.
Jadeja.
No release.
---
### Score at 30 Overs:
**Karnataka U-19: 121/5**
Match decided.
---
## 🏆 RESULT
**India U-19 won by 67 runs**
Selectors closed notebooks.
Satisfied.
---
## 🧠 POST-MATCH MOMENT
Virat sat beside Aarav.
"You're calm," he said.
Aarav replied quietly, "Calm lasts longer than confidence."
Virat smiled.
A friendship forming—
One that would matter later.
---
## 🧠 SYSTEM UPDATE – PREPARATION PHASE COMPLETE
---
### 🧠 STATUS
✔ Captaincy accepted
✔ Team trust established
✔ Match temperament proven in blue
**Next:**
➡️ U-19 World Cup warm-up tour
➡️ Foreign conditions
➡️ Records waiting to be challenged
Wearing blue doesn't make you special.
Performing in it—
Does.
--chapter 31 end--