Day 2 – Internal Rankings Released (Not Public)
At 6:30 AM, an alert pinged on every player's smartwatch:
> Subject: Internal Rank Summary (Strictly Confidential)
This score is based on performance, composure, decision-making, and team impact.
No one spoke aloud, but eyes searched faces.
Who ranked high?
Who's vulnerable?
The rankings weren't numeric — they were color coded:
Crimson: Top 5
Gold: Top 10
Grey: Mid-tier
Blue: Underperforming
Black: Elimination threat
Only you knew your color.
Aryan's screen blinked:
"Gold."
No smile. No change. He closed the notification and continued brushing his teeth.
Reactions Across the Rooms
Laksh Verma throws his towel and mutters, "Grey? Impossible."
Yuvraj Rathore laughs, "I bet Aryan got Black."
Omkar Shinde remains silent, watching.
Sai Menon — Crimson.
Iqbal Nawaz — Gold.
Omkar Shinde — Crimson.
Yuvraj Rathore — Grey.
Laksh Verma — Grey.
Emotions start to boil.
And the psychological warfare begins.
Coach Deshmukh's Strategy Room
> "Today's exercise: Mind breakdown."
Players were told they had no matches.
But every hallway, gym session, dining moment was being recorded and reviewed.
They were monitored for:
Jealousy triggers
Leadership behavior
Passive aggression
Response to false praise or criticism
Moment 1: Sai vs Yuvraj (Dining Hall)
Yuvraj (sarcastic): "So, Crimson, how does it feel being BCCI's favorite?"
Sai (coolly): "Didn't know you're still in the game."
Yuvraj (standing): "Say that again."
Before fists fly, Aryan enters — silently picks his tray — and sits alone in the farthest corner. Watching. Listening. Processing.
Moment 2: Interview Booth – Surprise Task
Players were called one by one to a dark room with a camera.
They were told:
> "You've been nominated as team captain. Give a speech."
It was a trap — designed to test ego vs leadership.
Laksh Verma went full Bollywood: "I'll lead India like Dhoni."
Yuvraj mocked the task: "If this is how they judge, it's a joke."
Iqbal gave a calculated pitch — precise, confident.
Omkar simply said: "I let my work talk."
Aryan stepped in.
Paused.
Then said:
> "A leader is one who doesn't need the badge to lead. I'll play like one either way."
Silence. One take.
He left.
The tech team marked his mental file:
> [High emotional maturity. No attention hunger. Threat level: Rising.]
Nightfall: Mentor Room
Virat Kohli, reviewing the day's footage, leaned back.
> "He still shows nothing. He never asks questions. He never seeks validation. Reminds me of someone… maybe more dangerous."
Elsewhere…
Three Black Tier players were eliminated silently at night. Bags packed. Faces hidden. Cameras off.
One of them had been a U-19 national pick.
This program wasn't fair.
It was real.
And tomorrow — it was match time again.
Next: Chapter 5 – The Hunt for Weakness Begins