Chapter 9: Shortcomings

I could feel something from Virat at the moment. I could see a faint light in his eyes as he blocked my fourth ball. Maybe it's my mind playing tricks on me, I don't know but I knew something was off putting about his smile.

I bowled my fifth ball. It wanted to change something in my bowling style but it was the only action I knew. I pitched the ball like last time.

A huge six. Virat stepped out and swung down his bat hard, hitting it out of the ground. He looked at me and smirked. I had to do something. Fast balls were something I was limited at, at least now.

'How about spin? I haven't tried spin bowling. Let's give it a go.' I thought as I picked up the ball and secured it with my fingers. I am a right arm leg spinner aka a wrist spinner.

I took around six steps back which surprised both the batsman and the coach. The smile on Virat's face vanished and I could feel the coach staring at me. I completed my runup and pitched my last bowl.

This time Kohli was ready to defend but the ball swung outside after pitching just touched the edge of his bat and simple catch by the third slip. I got him out three times in an over.

Whatever happened in the over but I had the last laugh. I smiled at Virat and passed the ball to the next bowler.

I was called in by the coach. Passing the ball I ran out to see why I was called.

"What was that with the last ball?" asked the coach.

"Well, I don't have many variations in my fast bowling so I just bowled the last ball as a wrist spinner." I replied as even I was not sure why I did that but it gave me the results I wanted.

"You know how to spin with your wrist? Sigh, well after this I'll personally look over your bowling. Let's get you to learn some pace variations and some wrist spin variation. It will be a huge surprise for the opposition when you'll suddenly switch between spin and pace. Haha"

The coach laughed and I joined him. Whatever he is talking about, sounds fun to me.

"Well, go now. You'll bat in the end" The coach informed and asked me to leave. I went away and saw Virat in the third slip position. I ran and joined him as the fourth slip.

"How was it?" I surprised Virat with my voice as I just popped up behind him.

"What the… Hey, don't do that ever again. Well, the last ball was a surprise but for the rest, The first two were going really fast. This is the first I have got LBW in the past three months but you kept pitching them at the same spot. You should be proud you were able to get me out. I am the best on my team. So, tell me how was the shot" Virat responded to my question but ended it with a smirk.

"So, if our teams met in the final. Your team will tumble down easily. Haha" I replied back to his question to which he made a sour face.

"Hey, Virat. I understood what you said about my fast bowls. Can you help me with that? How about after school on non-training days. I will pitch your balls and you try to defend them. Both of us will benefit from it. What do you say?" I asked Virat as he is the only player I think can help me and it will help me deepen my bond with him. I am selfish and I'll do anything to make my dream come true.

"Fine but you'll be in my team whenever I'll go out to play for the local ground authority matches." Virat accepted my request but asked me to play with him.

"What are these matches?" I asked as I don't know anything about these matches.

"Well, there is one cricket park for small kids in Paschim Vihar and we hold a knockout match between other local teams for the sole rights of the cricket ground for a month. If other teams want to play within that month they have to give us thirty percent of whatever wager they have for that match. Winning team gives us 30% of whatever they win."

Well, isn't it a well thought out business model. "Who has rights for this month?" I asked.

"Who else could have other than our team. I won the match with the bat I gave you as a present on your birthday."

.........….

Right now I am getting to bat. I bowled all my ten overs and there isn't much to say. The number of balls getting defended was increasing exponentially as I haven't tried introducing much change into my pitches. Though the sudden change between spin and pace confused all the batsmen I bowled and got everyone at least once either LBW or direct hit in the stumps.

I am ready with my bat and like the time with the ball I am unable to feel what I felt that day while batting. I saw the ball and anticipated the dropping point, moved out the crease, arrived near the ball and swung my bat straight, hitting the ball for a huge six.

The second ball is another six. Third ball, I arrived after the ball hit the ground as I swung my bat but the spin on the ball turned it and moved it little to the left but the power behind the swing once again flung it into the air.

Same thing happened to the last three balls. They turned a little to the left or right but the power swing didn't discriminate. Coach looked happy with what I just did but I wasn't. From this one over I have known my shortcomings in my batting. I always swing my bat straight. It will be a huge problem one day.

For the remaining overs, I was asked to not move out of the crease and this made it more difficult for me to hit the balls. I only know how to hit them straight and without moving out of the crease the spinners gave me a headache.

The power behind the swing pushed every ball I made contact with out of boundary but rest didn't even make contact with my bat.

The coach is ready to give me special training with my bowling and batting in the coming winter vacations. The whole fourteen days except the last seven days of vacation is going to be a training montage for me. After training I'll go directly for the inter academy tournament.

Vipin Chaudhary

West Delhi Cricket Academy

Team B

Jersey Number 69