The district stadium buzzed with noise even before practice officially started.

Players moved between nets carrying bats and kit bags while coaches discussed performances from yesterday’s practice match.

Some bowlers argued over field placements.

Others replayed deliveries and dismissals repeatedly.

But one topic quietly dominated almost every conversation.

Sahil Choudhary.

"The guy who hit that outswing six."

"Middle-order hitter."

"School player, right?"

"He attacked proper swing bowling."

The attention felt strange.

Only a week ago, most academy players barely noticed him.

Now...

people at least knew his name.

Sahil sat quietly near the boundary rope while adjusting the grip on his bat. He tried ignoring the whispers around him.

One good innings meant nothing yet.

Not at district level.

Still...

deep inside, yesterday’s performance boosted his confidence slightly.

Especially against outswing.

For the first time since entering district cricket, he no longer felt completely outclassed.

Then footsteps stopped beside him.

"Enjoying the attention?"

Sahil looked up calmly.

Aryan Malhotra stood there wearing a clean academy training jersey while casually spinning his bat in one hand.

Perfect hair.

Perfect gear.

Perfect confidence.

Even the way he stood carried natural arrogance.

Sahil remained calm.

"Not really."

Aryan smirked faintly.

"Good."

Then he sat down nearby without asking.

For a few seconds, silence remained between them.

Nearby players secretly watched curiously.

Everyone already noticed the tension between the two batsmen.

Aryan finally spoke again.

"That six yesterday..."

He looked toward the practice pitch.

"...good shot."

Sahil blinked slightly.

A compliment?

But then Aryan continued casually,

"Still risky though."

There it was.

The arrogance again.

Sahil leaned back quietly.

"It worked."

Aryan laughed softly.

"For one match."

His eyes shifted toward Sahil’s worn gloves.

"District cricket isn’t impressed by one flashy innings."

The words weren’t loud.

But they carried clear meaning.

Aryan still looked down on him.

Not because Sahil lacked talent.

But because he came from school cricket instead of academy systems.

To Aryan, academy players were real cricketers.

Everyone else simply tried catching up.

Sahil slowly stood up while lifting his bat.

"I’m here to improve."

Aryan smirked faintly.

"Good."

Then he looked directly into Sahil’s eyes for the first time.

"Because you’re still behind."

The atmosphere between them immediately became colder.

Nearby players stopped pretending not to listen.

Everyone clearly sensed rivalry forming now.

Before Sahil could respond, a loud whistle echoed across the ground.

"Batting group report to central nets!"

Practice resumed instantly.

Aryan stood up casually.

"Come."

He rested the bat against his shoulder.

"Let’s see how long your confidence lasts."

Then he walked toward the practice nets without waiting.

Sahil quietly watched him go.

Honestly...

Aryan irritated him.

Not because he insulted him openly.

But because his confidence felt justified.

That was the annoying part.

Aryan truly was good.

Very good.

Yesterday’s fifty against quality bowling proved it clearly.

His batting looked polished in ways Sahil still lacked.

Better footwork.

Better balance.

Cleaner judgment.

Everything looked professional.

Which meant—

if Sahil wanted respect here...

he needed to earn it properly.

The net sessions began soon afterward.

Today’s focus: Match simulation batting.

Different bowlers rotated constantly while coaches observed decision-making under pressure.

Aryan entered the nets first.

Immediately, the atmosphere changed slightly.

Even bowlers looked more focused against him.

The first fast bowler charged in aggressively.

WHOOSH!

Late outswinger.

Aryan left it calmly.

Second ball.

Short length.

THACK!

Effortless backfoot punch through covers.

Pure timing.

Third delivery.

Inswinger.

Compact defense.

Perfect balance.

Several coaches quietly nodded while writing notes.

Sahil watched silently from outside.

Aryan’s batting looked smooth.

Almost effortless.

No wasted movement.

No panic.

Even against quality bowling, he looked comfortable.

Then came the real statement shot.

A fast bowler attempted a sharp short ball around chest height.

Aryan reacted instantly.

THACK!

The pull shot flew over square leg for six effortlessly.

No wild swing.

No brute force.

Pure class.

Several academy players clapped immediately.

One coach even smiled slightly.

"Excellent control."

Aryan casually adjusted his gloves as if the shot meant nothing.

Then his eyes briefly shifted toward Sahil outside the nets.

Almost like a challenge.

Sahil’s jaw tightened slightly.

Kabir suddenly appeared beside him.

"Annoying, right?"

Sahil glanced sideways.

Kabir smirked.

"The academy prince."

"You don’t like him?"

Kabir shrugged casually.

"He’s arrogant."

Then he added honestly,

"But he backs it up."

That was exactly the problem.

Aryan wasn’t all talk.

His batting genuinely belonged at district level. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Maybe even beyond.

Kabir folded his arms while watching the nets.

"You know why academy players act superior?"

Sahil stayed silent.

"Because most school players fail here."

That answer felt brutally honest.

Kabir continued calmly,

"They think structure creates better cricketers."

"And honestly?"

He pointed toward Aryan.

"Most of the time they’re right."

Sahil quietly looked toward the nets again.

Aryan was still batting beautifully.

Confident.

Relaxed.

Composed.

Meanwhile Sahil still fought technical flaws daily.

The gap remained obvious.

But strangely...

instead of discouraging him—

it motivated him harder.

Because Sahil hated looking inferior to anyone.

Especially someone who looked down on him constantly.

Soon Aryan’s session ended.

As he walked out, several players immediately approached him discussing shots and techniques.

Meanwhile Sahil walked toward the batting crease quietly.

The atmosphere subtly shifted again.

Now everyone wanted to see something.

Could the aggressive school player actually match academy standards consistently?

Or was yesterday only lucky momentum?

Even Sahil felt the pressure.

The fast bowler began his run-up immediately.

WHOOSH!

Sharp outswing.

Leave.

Clean judgement.

Several coaches noticed instantly.

Second ball.

Fuller length.

THACK!

Compact defense.

Third ball.

Short delivery.

Sahil instinctively pulled hard.

BOOM!

The ball smashed into side netting near deep square leg.

Raw power.

Several nearby players reacted immediately.

Kabir laughed loudly.

"There’s the violence."

Even Aryan paused briefly while drinking water nearby.

The next few deliveries continued intensely.

Swing.

Bouncers.

Full lengths.

Sahil handled them better than before.

Not perfectly.

But noticeably improved.

Then came the moment everyone noticed.

The bowler attempted a tempting outswinger outside off stump.

Exactly the type that troubled Sahil badly earlier in trials.

This time—

Sahil stayed balanced.

Waited late.

Then—

THACK!

The lofted extra-cover drive exploded cleanly over the infield.

Straight into side netting.

Silence spread briefly.

Even the coaches looked up.

That shot carried serious quality.

Not reckless hitting.

Controlled aggression.

Aryan’s expression changed slightly for the first time.

Not mocking anymore.

Interested.

The blue system screen flickered briefly.

---

OUTSWING MASTERY ACTIVATED

✔ +5 Temporary Timing

✔ +5 Temporary Control

---

Sahil ignored the screen and continued batting.

The session grew sharper afterward.

More bowlers targeted him aggressively now.

Especially short balls.

Clearly, they wanted to test his attacking instincts.

And honestly...

Sahil enjoyed it.

Because aggression remained his greatest strength.

Another bowler attempted a bouncer.

BOOM!

Pull shot.

Massive connection.

The ball rocketed toward square-leg fencing.

Several players reacted loudly.

Even some academy boys looked impressed now.

Kabir smirked proudly from outside.

"That shot’s becoming dangerous."

The batting session continued for nearly another hour.

By the end:

Sahil still edged occasionally

Still struggled against perfect deliveries

Still looked rougher than academy players technically

But one thing became obvious.

His confidence belonged here now.

And confidence changed everything.

As players finally took a break near the pavilion, Aryan walked over again while drinking water.

This time his expression looked calmer.

Less mocking.

"You improved fast," he admitted casually.

Sahil raised an eyebrow slightly.

"That surprising?"

"A little."

Aryan leaned against the railing.

"Most school hitters disappear after one tough session."

Sahil smirked faintly.

"I’m still here."

Aryan laughed softly.

"Yes."

Then his eyes sharpened again.

"But district cricket gets harder from here."

That competitive tension returned instantly.

Aryan continued calmly,

"You have power."

"Good instincts too."

Then he pointed toward the nets.

"But technique wins long-term."

Sahil answered immediately this time.

"Then I’ll improve technique too."

For a brief second, Aryan stayed silent.

Then unexpectedly—

he smiled slightly.

Not mockingly.

Like genuine interest.

"Good."

He picked up his bat again.

"Because weak rivals are boring."

Then he walked away toward the practice area once more.

Sahil quietly watched him leave.

Rival.

That word finally settled properly inside his mind.

Aryan wasn’t just another batsman anymore.

He represented everything Sahil still lacked:

Professional training

Polished technique

Match experience

Academy discipline

But at the same time...

Aryan also became a target.

Someone Sahil wanted to surpass eventually.

The blue system screen slowly appeared beside him.

---

RIVAL DETECTED

Aryan Malhotra

Type:

Academy Elite Batsman

---

Rival Analysis

✔ Superior technique

✔ Better defensive foundation

✔ Higher match composure

✔ Advanced footwork

---

Your Advantages

✔ Higher raw power

✔ Stronger aggressive instincts

✔ Faster adaptation speed

✔ Greater attacking pressure

---

Sahil quietly stared at the glowing screen.

Then his eyes slowly lifted toward the central practice nets once again.

Aryan Malhotra stood there under the evening sunlight, casually driving fast bowlers with effortless elegance.

Perfect academy cricket.

Meanwhile Sahil slowly tightened his grip around the bat handle.

Because deep inside...

he had already made a decision.

One day—

he would surpass him.