Chapter 132: The Rematch (1877 words)
Author’s Note:🏆
Hey everyone! Before we jump into today’s chapter, I just wanted to say a massive thank you for reading. Your votes, comments, and support mean the world to me. Happy reading! 💖
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The heat of mid-May in India was not just a weather condition, it was an atmosphere.
It was the smell of parched earth finally meeting a sprinkle of water, the taste of cold aam panna, and the rhythmic buzzing of air conditioners that struggled to keep up with the rising mercury.
But in 2014, the heat was secondary.
The real fever was the IPL, and the epicenter of that fever was a nineteen-year-old with intense eyes, a strong, chiseled jawline, with a straight face and a bat that seemed to have been forged in a volcano.
(A/N: Imagine Vidyut Jamwal)
May 13, 2014.
The Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi was a cauldron of dust and noise.
The Delhi Daredevils (DD) had struggled all season, and were up against the RCB juggernaut once again, they looked like a team walking into a gale-force wind.
They collapsed for a meager 101, thewickets falling like dry leaves in an autumn storm.
The RCB Chase.
When Rocky Rudra walked out, the crowd didn’t care that the target was only 102.
They wanted the violence.
They wanted the 300 SR carnage once again.
Danny Morrison (on commentary): “Here he comes! The Wolf is prowling in the capital! Look at that swagger, folks. He knows the prey is small, but he looks just as hungry!”
Rudra didn’t disappoint in his brief stay.
He took on Mohammed Shami in the second over, lofting a length ball over extra cover with a dismissive flick of the wrists that sounded like a gunshot echoing in the stadium.
He raced to 22 off just 13 balls before a leading edge off an attempted pull found the hands of mid-on.
He walked off, not with frustration, but with a casual, almost bored shrug.
He had done his bit. Virat Kohli and Parthiv Patel then dropped anchor, clinical and professional, guiding RCB to an 8-wicket win within 12 overs.
Harsha Bhogle: “It’s almost unfair, isn’t it? RCB have nine wins from ten games. They are operating on a different plane of existence. One more win against CSK, and they secure the top spot. The rest of the league is just fighting for the privilege of being beaten by them in the playoffs.”
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May 18, 2014:
The Ranchi Rain-Check and the birth of a new Spin-King
Ranchi, the home of MS Dhoni, was draped in yellow, but the air was thick with the anticipation of a clash between the master (Dhoni), brother (Kohli) and the apprentice (Rudra).
CSK batted first as RCB won the toss.
Suresh Raina was in sublime touch, his late-cut and inside-out shots providing the only resistance against a disciplined RCB attack.
He made a gritty 66, but the story of the innings was a skinny, wiry leg-spinner with a mischievous glint in his eyes: Yuzvendra Chahal.
Chahal bowled with the heart of a lion, tossing the ball up into the humid Ranchi sky, tempting the CSK batters into the graveyard of the deep mid-wicket boundary.
He finished with 3/29, bamboozling Dhoni with a wrong’un that nearly took the stump.
As Chahal walked off the field, the graphic flashed on the screen.
17 Wickets in 11 matches. He was now the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.
Bhuvi and Starc had chipped in with one apiece, and a lightning-fast run-out by Rudra from the deep had restricted CSK to 138/6.
The target was tricky on a slow Ranchi pitch, but the “Big Three” of RCB were in no mood for drama as Gayle wasn’t playing today.
Rocky Rudra: 25 off 18 balls (Started the momentum with two massive sixes off Ashwin).
Virat Kohli: 32 off 25 balls (The anchor).
AB de Villiers: 28*off 20 balls (The finisher).
RCB crossed the line with ease.
Chahal stood on the podium, the Purple Cap perched precariously on his head, looking like a schoolboy who had just won a science fair, but with the “Man of the Match” trophy in his hand.
Now RCB had both the orange cap and the purple cap, top of the points table, already qualified…
Although his back-to-back knocks looked pretty much ordinary according to his massive standards, but it was because he didn’t want to hog the ball everytime. Others also needed to bat to get used to the feeling.
Otherwise, they might collapse in the knockouts under pressure.
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Extra Innings T20: The “Sleeping Beast” Analysis
The scene shifts back to the Sony Max studio.
The lights are a futuristic blue and silver.
Sameer Kochhar stood center stage, his voice vibrating with the energy of a man who knows he was documenting history.
“Ten matches played. Nine wins. One loss and two caps holders in one team,” Sameer said, turning toward a massive touch-screen.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Royal Challengers Bangalore are not just top of the table. They are the table.”
Gaurav Kapur leaned in, pointing at the graphic for Rocky Rudra. “Sameer, let’s talk about the ‘Sleeping Beast’ effect. Remember Dubai? Match 3. KKR beat RCB by 2 runs. Rudra was out for 12. Since that night, he hasn’t just played cricket, we all feel that he has declared war on the sport.”
The Graphic Screen: The 2014 vs 2013 Comparison
2013 (Full Season – 10 Games) (Debut mid tournament)
Runs- 644
Average- 92.00
Strike Rate- 187.00
Not Outs- 3
2014 (Current – 10 Games) (Missed 1 game due to niggle)
Runs- 718
Average- 79.77
Strike Rate- 241.75
Not Outs- 1
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“Look at those numbers!” Navjot Singh Sidhu bellowed, his colorful turban looked bright under the studio lights.
“Guru! Last year he was a prince in the Mumbai court. This year, he is a King without a kingdom, conquering everything in his path! 718 runs in 10 matches? That’s not a batting average, that’s a fever pitch! He’s already scored more runs than his entire debut season, and he’s doing it at a strike rate of 241! He’s hitting a boundary every three balls, Sameer!”
Sunil Gavaskar nodded, his face serious as he analyzed the technical shift. “In 2013, he was an opener who played the role of finisher who could anchor and his place in the team was fluctuating since it was debut series. But, In 2014, he is an aggressor who refuses to let the bowler breathe. The impact he has… it’s psychological. When he walks out, the opposition captain starts looking at the sky, hoping for rain. Because they know that if Rocky stays for even five overs, the game is over.”
Sameer Kochhar: “And let’s not forget the context. That 2-run loss to KKR in the desert… it woke him up. It turned a talented kid into a monster. And where are we going next?”
Sameer looked directly into the camera lens, a cheeky grin playing on his lips.
“May 22nd. Eden Gardens. Kolkata. The rematch. The Knight Riders vs. The Wolf. Gambhir vs. Rudra… I’m sure our audience is counting the minutes, because the last time these two met, KKR won by a hair breath. This time… the Wolf is coming to the City of Joy, and he isn’t definitely bringing any gifts for KKR.”
Gaurav Kapur: “The National Crush is coming to Kolkata. I hope the security is ready, because the ‘Rudra-mania’ is at an all-time high.”
The show ended with a montage of Rudra’s best sixes, set to a heavy rock beat.
The last frame was a close-up of his face—serious, lean, with those piercing eyes and that unmistakable intensity—as he stared down the camera, the red dirt of the pitch still smeared across his jersey like war paint.
The screen faded to black with the text:
MAY 22. EDEN GARDENS. THE RECKONING.