Day 9 – Bat & Ball High-Performance Centre
A sharp siren cuts through the dorms.
All 44 players are told to report to the "Iron Dome" — the newly unveiled indoor stadium built just for this program.
Massive LED screens light up with faces the players never expected.
> "Special Guests for Technique Trials – Welcome:
Steve Smith (Australia)
Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
Joe Root (England)
Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
Trent Boult (New Zealand)
Mitchell Starc (Australia)
Jofra Archer (England)
Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
Ben Stokes (England)"
Stunned silence.
> Yuvraj (to Aryan, whispering):
"They're really watching us now... this isn't a game anymore."
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Announcement from BCCI HQ
> "This week: Technique Evaluation."
Players will be tested on:
Shot Selection
Defensive Stance
Bouncer Handling
Spin Reading
Pressure Recovery
Each international star will observe and rate players anonymously.
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TEST 1: THE PITCH OF JUDGMENT
A simulation pitch is unveiled — motion sensors, ball trackers, pressure point mats.
First Candidate: Aryan Raj
Facing: Starc, Rashid, Shaheen – 3 overs
The room watches as:
Shaheen bowls 145+ inswingers. Aryan dead bats calmly.
Rashid floats in a googly. Aryan doesn't flinch, drives to mid-off.
Starc bounces. Aryan ducks with zero reaction. Laser focus.
Joe Root comments:
> "He's not playing the ball. He's understanding it."
Score: 92/100
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Other Key Performances:
Yuvraj Rathore – Powerful, aggressive, smashes Boult for 2 sixes but misses Rashid's googly.
> Score: 78/100 – Raw power, less discipline
Sai Menon – Cool-headed, excellent footwork against spin.
> Score: 88/100
Iqbal Nawaz – Fast hands, struggles against bouncers.
> Score: 72/100
Omkar Shinde – Bowls to Stokes & Maxwell. Controls length perfectly.
> Stokes claps – "This guy's a spin surgeon."
Score: 91/100
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Post-Trial Rankings (Top 5):
1. Aryan Raj – 92
2. Omkar Shinde – 91
3. Sai Menon – 88
4. Rajveer Goyal – 84
5. Yuvraj Rathore – 78
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Media Reactions:
> Cricbuzz: "Who is Aryan Raj?"
ESPN: "Omkar's spin mirrors Ashwin's mind."
The Guardian: "India's BCCI makes the biggest cricket gamble ever — and it's thrilling."
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Evening – Dormitory Balcony
Aryan stands alone, watching the moonlight fall over the stadium.
Flashback of his father yelling at him for wasting time with cricket books.
His grip tightens on his bat.
> Aryan (softly):
"I'll show them. One shot at a time."
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Meanwhile in Mentor Room – Dhoni speaks
> "Let the international stars leave now. Next week… we break them."
"We make them compete against... each other."
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Next: Chapter 11 – Mind Games: The First Internal Rivalries Explode