The sky over the Feroz Shah Kotla practice ground was a pale winter blue when Ajay arrived, bat in hand, kitbag slung over his shoulder. The air carried that familiar sharpness of early Delhi mornings, where every breath felt clean but cold. Today wasn't just another match. This was the day everything he had been working toward since waking up in 1997 would be put to the test.
The District Selection Trials.
He'd been here before—in his first life. He remembered how that day had gone then. Overweight. Nervous. A half-hearted fifty that looked better on paper than it had felt on the field. A few good drives, but poor running between the wickets, and sloppy fielding that made selectors exchange glances. That had been the start of a career that rose and fell too quickly.
This time, it was going to be different.
The Atmosphere of Trials
The ground was buzzing with players warming up. Bats knocking against pads, the thud of balls into gloves, and bursts of laughter from those trying to mask their nerves. A few senior district players stood near the fence, watching, probably scouting for potential teammates.
Ajay went through his warm-up quietly. Light jogging. Arm rotations. Stretches. Then, shadow batting. The familiar weight of the bat in his hands was calming.
The selectors sat in a small shaded area, clipboards in hand. They weren't here to watch one good shot. They wanted to see complete players—fitness, temperament, adaptability. Ajay knew that now.
The Toss and Batting Order
Ajay's team lost the toss and was sent in to bat first. As he slipped on his gloves, his opening partner, Sameer, muttered, "Selectors are watching every ball, yaar. No stupid shots."
Ajay smiled faintly. "No need to worry about that."
He took guard as the first ball whistled past outside off. The bowler was sharp, easily over 135 km/h, and clearly wanted to intimidate early. But Ajay had faced faster in his past life. He let the first over go, only defending when needed.
Building the Innings
By the third over, Ajay's eyes were locked in. A short delivery came, and he swiveled into a pull shot, sending the ball racing to the midwicket fence. That sound—the clean crack—turned a few heads.
From there, the boundaries came regularly. He didn't slog. He played cricketing shots—cover drives, square cuts, flicks through midwicket. The system's subtle hum told him his Batting progress bar was moving faster than usual.
Balancing Power and Running
In his old life, Ajay's innings would've been peppered with boundaries and not much running. But now, he pushed for quick singles, calling loudly, turning ones into twos. His fitness allowed him to sprint without gasping for breath.
He could feel the bowlers' frustration. They couldn't tie him down—every over had at least one boundary and a couple of sharp runs.
The Key Partnership
By the fifteenth over, he was on 55. Sameer had fallen, but Ajay found a new partner in Rajeev, a tall left-hander. Together, they rotated strike beautifully. Ajay's boundaries weren't desperate swipes—they were calculated, choosing gaps over brute force.
When the spinner came on, Ajay stepped out confidently, lofting him over extra cover for four, then sweeping fine for another. The crowd—small but vocal—started to cheer louder.
Unbeaten Finish
By the time twenty overs were done, Ajay was unbeaten on 78. He'd faced 60 balls, hit 12 boundaries—ten fours and two sixes—and run plenty of quick singles. The selectors' clipboards moved with every shot, and Ajay knew he had made an impression.
Fielding Showcase
But he wasn't done. In the field, he stayed on his toes at point. In the fifth over of the opposition's chase, a thick edge flew his way. Diving to his right, Ajay plucked the ball inches above the turf. The batsman was gone, and his teammates roared.
Later, a sharp single was attempted to his end. Ajay sprinted, scooped, and in one motion, fired the ball into the keeper's gloves. The batsman was caught short by half a step. The selectors noticed.
After the Match
As the players left the ground, Coach Sharma patted Ajay's back. "This is how you play trials. Not just with the bat. With your whole game."
Ajay smiled but didn't let it go to his head. In his mind, the system window popped open:
Batting – 421/10,000
Fielding – 49/100
Fitness – 35/100
The numbers were climbing, but he knew the journey was just starting.
That night, Ajay replayed the day in his mind. Not to admire himself, but to look for gaps. A mistimed pull. A slightly late dive. Even in success, there was room to grow.
Tomorrow, the selection list would come out. In his past life, he'd been nervous on nights like this. This time, he was calm. He had done his best, and whatever happened, the next step would be earned—not lucky.