Chapter 92 :
On December 18, 2020, the Adelaide Oval was buzzing in anticipation as Day 2 of the first Test between India and Australia began. The skies were clear, the pink ball Test entering its second day under bright sunshine, and the Australian players walked out with tired yet determined expressions.
The Indian fans in the stands were loud, chanting "Advay! Advay!", knowing they were witnessing something historic. The scoreboard read 462/4, and at the center of it all stood Advay Rai, unbeaten on 306.*
Harsha Bhogle (commentary): "A new day, but the same story… Can Australia find a way to stop Advay Rai? Because so far, they've had absolutely no answers."
Nathan Lyon took the first over of the morning, tossing one up on a good length outside off. Advay took a forward stride and met it with the full face of the bat, timing it exquisitely through covers for four. The crowd roared as the ball raced to the boundary.
Mitchell Starc returned with fire in his eyes, charging in at 150 km/h, sending down a sharp bouncer. Advay ducked at the last second, letting the ball sail past his helmet.
The very next ball, full and fast at middle and off, but Advay flicked it effortlessly through midwicket, the timing so pure it reached the ropes in no time.
By the 110th over, India had moved to 489/4, and Advay was at 342.*
Josh Hazlewood, with a focused expression, ran in and delivered a back-of-a-length delivery outside off, hoping to get some late movement. Advay leaned back, opened the face of the bat, and guided it past slip for four more.
Ricky Ponting (commentary): "You have to admire the control. He's not just surviving, he's toying with the bowling."
By the 120th over, India had crossed 520, and Advay stood at 369.*
Cummins banged one in short, and Advay pulled it fiercely in front of square for a flat six!
The stadium exploded, and the Australian fielders could only watch in disbelief.
The next over, Lyon floated one outside off, inviting the drive. Advay stepped out and launched it over long-on!
375 for Advay Rai!
He stood there for a moment, then slowly turned toward the crowd and bowed.
The Indian supporters erupted, giving him a standing ovation, chanting his name.
The Australian players looked completely drained. Tim Paine walked up to Pat Cummins and Starc, shaking his head.
"Mate, I think we're bowling to the best Test batsman in the world right now."
By the 135th over, India had reached 578/4.
Virat Kohli, who had been batting alongside Advay, walked up to him between overs. "One final push, then we declare," he said. Advay nodded, rolling his shoulders, ready to finish in style.
With one final push before declaring, Advay and Virat turned up the aggression, punishing anything loose.
Mitchell Starc, running in with one last burst of energy, bowled a full, wide delivery. Advay leaned into it and drove it exquisitely through covers for four!
Harsha Bhogle (commentary): "This is just ridiculous now! Australia looks helpless!"
The very next ball, Starc tried to cramp him for room with a yorker, but Advay flicked it past midwicket, beating the fielder, another boundary!
By the 145th over, India had reached 615/4.
Advay was at *394. The crowd was on its feet, waiting, chanting his name.
Nathan Lyon tossed one up, looking for turn, but Advay stepped out, got under it, and lofted it over long-off!
The ball sailed into the stands!
400 FOR ADVAY RAI!
The Adelaide Oval erupted. The Indian fans chanted his name, waving flags, jumping in celebration.
Advay removed his helmet, looked toward the Indian crowd, and blew them a kiss. Then, he bowed down.
The Indian section of the stadium responded instantly—the entire crowd raised their hands and did the worshipping celebration toward him!
Advay and Virat, watching the surreal moment unfold, burst into laughter.
Virat patted Advay on the back, shaking his head. "You've actually broken them."
With that, India declared at 620/4. The Australian players, exhausted, trudged off the field, knowing they had been part of a record-breaking masterclass.
Australia walked out to bat under immense pressure, the scoreboard flashing 620/4 declared as a reminder of the mountain they had to climb. The Adelaide Oval crowd was still buzzing, the Indian fans chanting Advay's name, their energy unmatched. The Australian openers, David Warner and Joe Burns, knew survival was key, but with India's fiery bowling attack under the lights, it was never going to be easy.
Bumrah took the new pink ball, running in with his usual smooth rhythm. First ball—sharp inswinger at 142 km/h, crashing into Warner's pads! A huge appeal! Given out! Warner immediately reviewed, but ball-tracking showed three reds.
David Warner, Australia's key batter, was gone for a golden duck! The Indian players erupted, the crowd roaring louder than ever.
Harsha Bhogle (commentary): "What a start! Bumrah has struck with his very first ball! This Indian bowling attack is relentless!"
Australia staggered to 38/1 by the 10th over, as Labuschagne and Burns tried to steady the innings. But Mohammed Shami had other plans.
Shami pitched one on a hard length, nipping it back sharply at Joe Burns, who misjudged it completely. The ball crashed into the stumps! Australia 48/2!
Advay Rai was then brought into the attack in the 20th over, the stadium buzzing as he tossed the ball in his hands, setting his field. His first over was tight, flighting the ball, drawing Labuschagne forward defensively.
Then, in the 22nd over, he struck. A drifting off-break, landing outside off, turning in sharply—Labuschagne, thinking he had the width, went for an aggressive cut.
The ball spun back in, took the inside edge, and rattled the stumps!
Advay celebrated with a casual fist pump, his teammates rushing toward him. The crowd chanted his name as he smirked toward the stands.
By the end of Day 2, Australia was struggling at 178/6, trailing by 442 runs.
On Day 3, the Australian tail tried to resist, but India's bowlers cleaned up quickly. Ashwin picked up two wickets in an over, including Tim Paine, while Bumrah finished things off with a yorker to Starc.
Australia bowled out for 212.
Following on, the Aussies showed more fight, with Smith and Labuschagne putting up resistance on Day 3 and early Day 4. But India kept chipping away—Umesh Yadav removed Smith with a beautiful outswinger, and soon after, Shami had Cameron Green trapped in front.
By the final session of Day 4, Australia crumbled under the scoreboard pressure.
Bumrah got his fifth wicket, cleaning up Lyon with a brutal inswinging delivery. Australia was all out for 289, handing India a victory by an innings and 119 runs!
The Indian players walked off to massive cheers, the fans in the stands waving flags and chanting. Advay, walking next to Virat, smirked as he glanced at the scoreboard one last time.
Harsha Bhogle (commentary): "This is dominance of the highest order! India wins comfortably, and at the heart of it—Advay Rai, whose record-breaking 400 set the stage for this historic victory!"*
The team gathered near the boundary line, soaking in the celebration as the Adelaide Oval stood in appreciation of India's remarkable performance.
As the presentation ceremony began, the Adelaide Oval crowd cheered, waiting for the Man of the Match announcement.
"The Man of the Match for this historic Test goes to… Advay Rai, for his incredible 400 and a crucial wicket!"*
The Indian fans erupted, chanting his name as Advay walked up to the podium. But this time, the person waiting for him wasn't just any presenter—it was Sunil Gavaskar.
The moment Advay saw him, he smiled and immediately bent down, touching Gavaskar's feet, taking his blessings.
Gavaskar placed a hand on his head, smiling warmly. "Bless you, my boy."
Advay then stood up and hugged him, a rare, genuine moment between the mentor and his most famous student.
Gavaskar (grinning): "Ah, look at you now! From that eight-year-old kid who couldn't even reach the top of his bat to scoring 400 in a Test match!"*
Advay chuckled, shaking his head. "Sir, you're the reason I even made it this far. I wouldn't be standing here without your training."
The crowd applauded, knowing the significance of this moment.
Gavaskar: "Tell me, Advay, what was going through your mind when you were batting today? Did you ever think about stopping?"
Advay smirked slightly. "Stopping? Sir, you trained me better than that."
The crowd laughed, and Gavaskar shook his head, clearly proud.
Gavaskar: "You made it look effortless. 400 in a Test match, that too in two days. Do you even realize what you've done?"
Advay tilted his head, smirking slightly. "What did they expect?"
The crowd erupted, cheering louder than ever.
Gavaskar laughed, patting him on the back. "I should've known you'd say that."
As Advay lifted the Man of the Match trophy, the Indian fans in the stands roared, knowing they had just witnessed history.
As they settled onto the couch, Ananya leaned against him, her arms still loosely wrapped around his. She looked up, a smirk forming on her lips.
"So, Mr. 400, how does it feel to completely destroy Australia?"*
Advay chuckled, shaking his head. "I wasn't thinking about that. I was just… playing my game."
She tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "Right. Because normal people just casually score 400 in a Test match."
Advay smirked. "What did they expect?"
Ananya burst out laughing, lightly hitting his arm. "Oh my God, stop! You've turned your own celebration into a personality."
He grinned, stretching his legs out. "Hey, I can't help it if it fits."
Ananya rolled her eyes but smiled. "I have to say, though… you looked ridiculously good out there."
Advay raised an eyebrow. "I always look good."
She groaned, shaking her head. "I meant your batting, you idiot!"
He laughed, running a hand through his hair. "I know, I know. But it felt good. The ball was coming onto the bat perfectly. Their bowlers tried everything, but nothing worked."
Ananya nodded. "I could see that. The Australian commentators kept saying they had no answers for you."
Advay grinned. "They really didn't. I think Starc and Hazlewood might start having nightmares about me."
She laughed again. "Oh, for sure. And did you see the crowd? They actually did the worship celebration when you bowed to them!"
He leaned back, shaking his head in amusement. "Yeah… that was wild. Virat and I couldn't stop laughing."
She smirked. "And that flying kiss to the crowd? That was for me, right?"
Advay looked at her, smirking. "Who else?"
She smiled, nudging him. "Good answer."
They sat there for a moment, the excitement of the match still lingering in the air, before Ananya reached for the remote.
"Alright, cricket superstar, enough match talk. Let's watch something before you fall asleep on me."
Advay chuckled, pulling her closer. "Fine. But don't blame me if I doze off halfway."
She rolled her eyes but smiled as she pressed play, letting the moment settle into something calm, warm, and perfect.
By the 30th over, India had raced to 182/1, with Advay on 89 and Virat Kohli settling in at the other end.* The MCG crowd was buzzing, and the Australian bowlers were looking increasingly frustrated.
Pat Cummins steamed in, his brow furrowed, the pink ball gripped tightly in his fingers. He fired a sharp bouncer, angling into Advay's body at 147 km/h.
Advay rocked back, picked the length early, and swiveled into a perfect pull shot. The ball rocketed past square leg for four, bouncing once before crashing into the boundary boards.
The Indian fans in the stands erupted, their voices drowning out the Australian sections of the crowd.
Harsha Bhogle (commentary): "You could give him a hundred overs, a hundred bowlers, and a hundred different strategies, and I still don't think you could stop Advay Rai today!"
The very next ball, Cummins pitched it up, looking for swing. Advay leaned into it, his bat flowing through the air like poetry, sending the ball racing past extra cover!
100 FOR ADVAY RAI!
He removed his helmet, exhaled deeply, and raised his bat to acknowledge the roaring MCG crowd. Kohli walked over, patting him on the back, whispering something that made Advay smirk.
Ricky Ponting (commentary): "A Boxing Day hundred at the MCG! This man is making it a habit of breaking records in Australia!"
By the 50th over, India had surged to 252/1, with Advay batting on 132.*
Josh Hazlewood came in for his new spell, bowling a beautiful outswinger on a full length. Most batters would leave it.
Advay? He drove it on the up, bisecting cover and mid-off perfectly. Four more!
The Australian slip cordon stood with hands on their heads. What more could they do?
Nathan Lyon tossed one up, putting all his revs into the delivery, trying to force a mistake.
Advay danced down the pitch, got to the pitch of the ball, and lofted it effortlessly over long-on for six!
The ball sailed into the crowd, and the Indian fans went wild.
By the 65th over, India had reached 312/1.
Kohli, after a well-made 81, fell to Cummins. Ajinkya Rahane walked in, keeping the scoreboard ticking, but all eyes were still on Advay.
By the 75th over, India was 357/2, and Advay stood on 198.*
The stadium buzzed with anticipation. Another milestone was near.
Mitchell Starc, desperate for a breakthrough, ran in hard, bowled a 147 km/h length ball outside off.
Advay leaned in, drove it with perfection past point. The ball raced to the boundary!
200 FOR ADVAY RAI!
The MCG crowd rose to its feet. The Indian dressing room applauded, and the Australian players stood in disbelief.
Advay took off his helmet, bowed slightly to the fans, then pointed toward the Indian dressing room with a confident smirk.
Harsha Bhogle (commentary): "Advay Rai, take a bow! This is not just batting; this is a masterclass in dominance!"
The Australian players looked exhausted, but they finally got a moment of relief in the 82nd over.
Cummins bowled a rare loose ball, short and wide outside off.
Advay, seeing the opportunity, slashed hard, trying to uppercut it.
But the ball got big on him, the extra bounce surprising him, and he feathered an edge to the keeper!
Tim Paine snatched it cleanly, and the Australian players erupted in celebration!
Advay Rai OUT for 213 off 235 balls!
The entire MCG crowd stood up, applauding his incredible innings, regardless of whom they supported.
As he walked back to the pavilion, he raised his bat, nodding toward the stands, before looking up at Ananya in the VIP box, giving her a subtle wink.
Ricky Ponting (commentary): "A monumental innings! Advay Rai walks off after putting on a masterclass at the MCG!"
As he crossed the boundary rope, Kohli and the other Indian players stood up, clapping him on the back as he entered the dressing room.
Another historic knock had been written into the books.