If the morning session judged your technique…
The second day of a Ranji match judged your character.
---
## 🏟️ RANJI TROPHY – DAY 2
**Match:** Mumbai vs Karnataka
**Venue:** M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
**Mumbai (Overnight):** 242/5
**Aarav Malhotra:** 74*
---
Aarav woke up sore.
Not "academy sore."
Not "U-19 tournament sore."
This was… *first-class sore*.
His shoulders protested.
His forearms felt like they'd been arguing with gravity all night.
He stretched, groaned quietly, then froze.
Across the room, a senior teammate raised an eyebrow.
"You make that noise again," the man said, "and we're putting you in the physio room permanently."
Aarav straightened instantly.
"Sorry. Emotional damage."
The senior snorted.
---
## 🧠 SYSTEM STATUS – MORNING UPDATE
---
**Ball Condition:** Old (42 overs)
**Swing Type:** Reverse emerging
**Bowling Threat:** Yorkers, tail-in
**Template Focus:**
✔ KL – Shot discipline
✔ AB – Selective activation
✖ Steyn – Bowling later
**Objective:**
➡️ Convert start
➡️ Century > Style
➡️ No gifts
---
## 🏏 RESUMING THE INNINGS
The field tightened immediately.
No slips.
Straight mid-off in.
Mid-on up.
Square leg deep.
The message was clear.
*We'll choke you.*
First ball of the day.
Full.
Tail-in.
Aarav brought his bat down late.
Inside edge.
Missed leg stump by millimeters.
He looked down.
Smiled.
"Okay," he muttered. "That was rude."
---
## 🎯 THE NERVOUS NINETIES—BEFORE THE NINETIES
Runs came slower now.
Singles.
Hard-earned twos.
The bowler changed.
**Bowler:** Vinay Kumar
Ball scuffed.
Wrist cocked.
**Over 68.3**
Yorker attempt.
Aarav jammed his bat down.
Ball squirted to mid-on.
They ran.
Senior at the other end yelled,
"LOUD CALLS, KID!"
Aarav shouted back,
"YES BHAI! I'M NOT QUIET BY CHOICE!"
Laughter echoed faintly.
---
## 📊 SCORE UPDATE
**Aarav:** 89 (162 balls)
**Boundaries:** 9
**False Shots:** 3
**Heart Rate:** Illegal
---
## 🧠 SYSTEM ALERT – PRESSURE PEAK
---
⚠️ Milestone proximity detected
⚠️ Decision-making volatility increased
**Recommendation:**
➡️ Do NOT chase century
➡️ Let it arrive
---
Next ball.
Half-volley outside off.
The AB instinct screamed.
*Hit it.*
Aarav checked himself.
Soft hands.
Open face.
Guided to point.
Single.
He exhaled.
---
## 🏏 THE CENTURY BALL
**Over 71.1**
Bowler goes wide of the crease.
Full.
Angling in.
Aarav stepped across.
Bat came down straight.
Ball raced past mid-on.
Four.
He stood there.
Helmet off.
Bat raised.
No roar.
Just a quiet acknowledgment.
**100 in Ranji Trophy. On debut.**
From the balcony, a senior clapped slowly.
Then another.
Then the whole dressing room stood.
---
## 📊 SCORECARD SNAPSHOT
**Aarav Malhotra:** 100 (171 balls)
- 10× Fours
- 0× Sixes
- Minutes Batted: 248
---
At the non-striker's end, the senior leaned in.
"Congratulations," he said.
"Now don't throw it away."
Aarav nodded.
Two balls later—
Reverse-swinging yorker.
Too good.
Off stump gone.
Aarav stood frozen.
Then smiled.
"Fair enough," he whispered.
---
## 👏 WALK BACK
This time—
The applause was real.
Not polite.
Not curious.
Respectful.
A senior slapped his back.
"Welcome," he said. "Now you're one of us."
Aarav grinned.
"Does that mean I can borrow shampoo without asking?"
The senior paused.
"…No."
---
## 🏏 BOWLING – SECOND INNINGS
Karnataka came out to bat.
Captain tossed Aarav the ball.
New spell.
Old ball.
Reverse swing potential.
Field set attacking.
Slip.
Short leg.
Mid-on up.
Aarav marked his run-up.
Short.
Efficient.
---
### First Over
**Ball 1:**
Full. Tail-in.
LBW shout.
Umpire shakes head.
**Ball 2:**
Back of a length.
Edges… just short of second slip.
**Ball 3:**
Yorker.
Toe-end.
Single.
**Ball 4:**
Fuller.
Reverse swing.
*CRASH.*
Off stump cartwheels.
Silence.
Then noise.
---
## 📊 BOWLING FIGURES (SPELL 1)
- Overs: 6
- Maidens: 2
- Runs: 14
- Wickets: 2
A senior fielder jogged past him.
"You bat like a veteran," he said.
"And bowl like you're angry at the ball."
Aarav shrugged.
"It started it."
---
## 🧠 SYSTEM LOG – RANJI ACCEPTANCE
---
✔ First-Class Century
✔ Match-impact Bowling
✔ Dressing Room Status: Peer
**New Passive Buff:**
🧠 *Senior Trust*
---
## 🌙 STUMPS – DAY 2
Mumbai in control.
Aarav sat quietly, sipping water.
No phone.
No messages checked.
Just the scoreboard.
This wasn't a breakthrough anymore.
This was a beginning.
He smiled faintly.
"Alright," he thought.
"I can stay."
---
--chapter 46 end--