2013 – Rising Youth SC Nets & Match Day
Night Tea Politics – A New Arrival
The fluorescent lights cast harsh shadows over the dusty Rising Youth Sports Club nets. The usual buzz of tennis ball kids mingling with seniors had dulled into scattered whispers. It was tea break. And the kettle had boiled over—not just the chai.
Varun Shetty had arrived.
He stepped in like he owned the turf. His gelled hair didn't move, his whites were crisp, and his bat—an MRF Genius Grand Edition—looked like it had never known a scratch. There was no mistaking the polish. The boy shimmered in Koramangala confidence.
"That's Varun, da. United Colts product. KSCA probables last year," someone murmured to Arjun.
Arjun sipped his watery tea, eyes steady.
"MRF Genius, KSCA tag, and that polished stride... But let's see how he handles a cracked mat and a real spell."
Varun laughed at something Coach Santosh said, his voice confident—maybe too confident. The kind of laugh that expected a reaction. Arjun didn't give him one.
Later that night, whispers floated under the dark neem tree:
"Murali sir's watching closely. U-19 trial window opens in May."
"Varun's uncle is on the South Zone selection panel."
Arjun didn't flinch. But he noted it all. For once, the sting of his debut duck faded into the background. A new opponent had entered the frame.
The Return of Murali
April 1 – 5:30 AM.
The morning was cold. The silence was broken only by the sharp blast of a whistle.
Coach Murali had returned.
He didn't speak. Just pointed: "Desai. Shetty. Net 3."
The message was clear. This wasn't just a net. It was a scale. And both were being weighed.
For an hour, bowlers rotated while Arjun and Varun took turns. One faced spin. The other pace. Then switched. Then side-by-side.
Murali said nothing. But his eyes missed nothing.
Arjun caught glimpses—Murali studying Varun's trigger step, how he waited deep in the crease, balanced like a coiled spring. Then Arjun's own backlift. The way it flared slightly on the pull. Murali's nostrils flared but he didn't comment.
At the end of the session, he blew his whistle once.
"Tomorrow, both of you open. Match against United Colts."
Varun's mask cracked—just a little.
"United Colts?" he echoed.
Murali nodded.
"Let's see if your past wants you back."
Match Day – April 2, 2013
Venue: National College Ground, Basavanagudi
Format: 20 overs per side
Match: Rising Youth SC vs United Colts U-16 (Friendly Fixture)
The Toss and the Glare
Harsha won the toss. "We bat."
Simple. Direct.
As Arjun and Varun padded up together, a voice from the Colts' dugout cut through the quiet:
"What happened, Shetty? Run out of cousins in your old team?"
Another added:
"Careful with the matting. Might scuff your fancy shoes."
Varun didn't react. But Arjun caught the twitch in his brow.
"So this is how it feels to be the outsider," Arjun thought.
But I was born in it. He's just visiting.
Opening the Innings
The first over was a probing maiden. Sushil Kumar swung it in and away. Arjun stayed tight, defending, respecting the movement.
Then Varun answered. Second over: a stunning square drive for four. Effortless.
The Colts clapped sarcastically.
"He still remembers the gaps, huh?"
But Varun didn't flinch. He turned over strike calmly. When Arjun punched one off his pads for four, Varun called for two next ball and almost beat the throw himself.
By the 5th over, the scoreboard read 34/0.
In the 6th, Varun danced down and lofted the spinner over extra cover—a proper KSCA highlight-reel shot.
Arjun grinned.
"Alright, superstar. My turn."
He reverse-swept the next over for four. Then late-cut a darting offie behind square.
The duel wasn't spoken. It was traded in shots.
By the 10th over: 91/0. Scouts started murmuring. One had a camcorder. Another scribbled on a notepad.
Fielding Tactics & Mid-Pitch Warfare
Colts tightened the field.
"Fine leg squarer. Deep midwicket out. Trap him wide," yelled the skipper.
They sensed Arjun's urge to improvise.
"Go ahead, gully star. Show us your YouTube shot again," chirped the leggie.
Arjun smirked, let two balls go, then paddled the third behind square.
The Breakthrough
12th over: Varun lofted the offie inside-out—almost majestic—but didn't get all of it.
Caught at mid-off.
Varun out for 66 off 42 (7 fours, 1 six). He walked off slowly, eyes flicking once toward Murali.
He sat in the dugout, silent.
Then quietly muttered, just loud enough for himself:
"He's not bad."
The Final Push
Nikhil came in, swinging. Arjun took charge—pulling, glancing, chipping over mid-off.
A scoop attempt on the 18th over spelled his end. Arjun out for 61 (35 balls). He didn't celebrate. Just raised the bat once to the crowd.
Total: 171/6 in 20 overs
The Chase
Colts came out firing. Ravi was smashed for two boundaries in his first over. Harsha leaked 16 in his second.
Arjun came in post-powerplay.
Over 7: Maiden. Arm-ball jagged in, pinned the batters. No width, no room.
Varun bowled the next. Tighter than usual. Off-stump line. Quick through the air.
Mid-over, Arjun murmured to Harsha at mid-off:
"He's stepping across early. Float one wide outside off?"
They adjusted. Next over, Harsha bowled from wider of the crease. Caught their No.3 slicing. Gone.
Field Adjustments & Pressure
"Deep square finer. Point inside. Mid-on up," Arjun signaled.
The Colts tried to counter, but the lines had tightened.
Arjun finished with 4-0-20-1. He didn't get a big fish. But he set the stage. Made the chase stutter.
Colts fell short by 14 runs.
Final Score: 157/7 in 20 overs.
Post-Match – Murali's Monologue
The boys sat under the neem. Sweat, dust, adrenaline.
Murali stood, hands behind his back.
"Good game. Shetty batted with class. Desai brought balance. Match was ours from the 15th."
He turned to Arjun.
"You outscored him in impact, not numbers."
Arjun said nothing. Just unstrapped his gloves.
Murali continued:
"But that reverse sweep in the 13th—field was set, ball turning away. You were lucky."
"In your bowling—accurate, but same pace. Predictable."
"Cricketers play well. Leaders control moments. Which one are you going to be?"
Then he turned to Varun.
"You looked polished. But this isn't a trial for elegance. It's a test for grit."
"And when I told you to bowl fuller in the 19th over—you hesitated."
"You're not used to being told, are you?"
Varun's jaw twitched. A flinch—barely perceptible.
Murali softened, just for a moment.
"You both want the same thing. But the path won't be equal."
Later That Evening
Arjun stayed behind, packing slowly. He glanced toward the gate as Varun slung his kitbag over one shoulder.
Their eyes met.
No words. Just a nod.
Respect. Or maybe unfinished business.
"He won today," Arjun thought, "but let's see how he handles day three on a turning track."
Scorecard – Rising Youth SC Innings
Batsman Runs Balls 4s 6s SR
Varun Shetty 66 42 7 1 157.1
Arjun Desai 61 35 6 1 174.3
Nikhil 21 18 2 0 116.6
Aditya (WK) 10 12 1 0 83.3
Harsha (C) 5 8 0 0 62.5
Pratyush 2 4 0 0 50.0
Imran 0 1 0 0 0.0
Extras 16 — — — —
Total: 171/6 in 20 overs
Rising Youth SC Bowling
Bowler Overs Runs Wkts Econ
Arjun Desai 4 20 1 5.00
Harsha 3 29 2 9.66
Varun Shetty 3 18 1 6.00
Parth 4 26 1 6.50
Ravi 2 16 0 8.00