Chapter 136: Playoffs 2 (4152 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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If you like the story, remember to give a review. It’ll motivate me to continue with same passion ✌️😁
And, Extra love to some readers who are supporting me ❤️
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The digital rooms of the r/cricket subreddit were a chaotic reflection of the madness unfolding at Eden Gardens.
As the players walked off the field and the scent of burnt cordite from the mid-innings fireworks lingered in the humid air, the thread was moving so fast it was almost impossible to track.
Reddit.
r/cricket: [RCB Vs KXIP. Live Thread]
u/RCB_Soul: “I am literally in tears right now. I have spent years watching this team’s bowling lineup leak runs like a broken tap. Seeing Bhuvi take a hat-trick after those two sixes? It feels like a fever dream. We finally have a defense! 😭🙌 #PlayBold”
u/Preity_ZintaF: “I can’t even look at the screen. Preity looks so heartbroken in the stands. Bailey played such a captain’s knock, but how do you lose three wickets in three balls? 169 is a decent score, but against that top order? I’m scared.”
u/Tactical_Cricketer: “Punjab lost this in the middle overs itself. Maxwell and Miller were completely suffocated by Chahal and Rudra’s energy in the field. You could see Maxwell getting frustrated because Rudra wouldn’t let a single ball past point. Tactical disaster.”
u/Cuttack_King: “Rocky Rudra isn’t just a batsman. That catch at slip to get Viru out in the first over? That was the game-changer. The guy is 19 and he’s outshining everyone. 💎”
u/Sad_CSK: “KKR fans must be celebrating. If this game happened at Eden last week, KKR would have been destroyed and humbled. RCB is playing like they’re from another planet.”
u/Punjab_Lion: “I love Rocky’s batting, but this aggression is getting hard to watch. Screaming in the face of the batsman and slamming the ball into the turf after a catch? Even Virat is over the top. Sachin never did this. Whatever happened to the “Gentleman’s Game”?”
[Reply] u/Pele_The_GOAT: “Here comes the classic sepoys. You want our players to be polite and “gentle” while the rest of the world treats us like doormats? This isn’t the 90s, mate. If we take a wicket in a Qualifier, we celebrate. Period.”
[Reply] u/Aggressive_Wolf: “Exactly lol. People used to praise Ponting and McGrath for their “mental toughness” when they sledged us, but when an Indian player shows some spine, it’s “hard to watch.” Grow up and enjoy the fire.😎”
u/Cric_Gentleman: “I’ve been watching cricket for 30 years, and I’ve never seen a teenager as arrogant as Rudra. The way he was shouting at Bhuvi to destroy the stumps and getting in Maxwell’s face… it’s unsportsmanlike. We need to respect the seniors of the game.”
[Reply] u/Desi_Powerhouse: “Respect the seniors”? This is a war zone, not a retirement home, Uncle! For decades, nobody respected India—they only respected Sachin because he was a nice boy that anyone can walk over. This is a New India. We don’t want your so-called respect, you guys can keep it. We’ll let out perfomances do the work.”
[Reply] u/Chinnaswamy_Loyalist: “If you want a library, go find one. This is Eden Gardens. Rudra’s energy is the only reason Bhuvi didn’t collapse after those two back-to-back sixes. He’s the heartbeat of this and the “New India” squad.”
u/Neutral_Viewer: “Rudra’s celebration for Sehwag’s wicket was totally disrespectful. Viru is a legend of the sport. You don’t fire the ball into the dirt and glare at a man like that. It’s pure arrogance.”
[Reply] u/Yellow_love: “Disrespectful? Rudra took a screamer to dismiss the Sultan of Multan! The adrenaline was real. If you haven’t played cricket, just say so bro. Stop with this inferiority complex where Indian fans feel they have to apologize for winning.”
[Reply] u/BleedRedGold: “Arrogance or confidence? We finally have players who aren’t afraid to show they’re better than the opposition. Stop acting like it’s a sin and embrace the fact that we’re finally a powerhouse.”
u/Steyn_Chief: “A HAT-TRICK! IN A QUALIFIER! 🎯🎯🎯 I don’t care about the sixes. Bhuvi just etched his name in history. And seeing Rudra tackle him in that hug? Best moment of the IPL so far.”
u/Warney_Warrior: “Honestly, 169 is a “safe” total on most days, but Rudra has 787 runs this season league stage alone. If he stays for 10 overs, this game is over by the 14th. 💀”
u/Zinta_Heart: “Seeing Preity’s face after that hat-trick actually hurt. She was praying and everything. Cricket is often cruel. 😭”
u/Stat_Guru: “Can we talk about Chahal? He’s been the unsung hero. But that celebration with Rudra… they look like brothers. The chemistry in this RCB camp is something we’ve never seen before.”
u/Mumbai_Paltan: “Watching this as an MI fan is painful. We let Rudra go for Bumrah, and now we’re watching him lead the most aggressive, terrifying RCB team in history. I’m turning off the TV, guys…”
u/IPL_Oracle: “The second half of this hunt is going to be legendary. Rudra is padded up. Gayle is staring at the boundary. 170 to win. Eden Gardens is ready for a massacre. 🐺🔥”
The thread was a battlefield of opinions, but one thing was unanimous, that the intensity of Rocky Rudra and Virat Kohli had transformed RCB from a team of stars into a pack of hunters.
The New India spirit was alive, and the fans were either terrified or totally electrified.
____
The Chase Begins
The floodlights at Eden Gardens burned at peak intensity, slicing through the heavy Kolkata humidity like razor-sharp white blades.
The outfield, coated with a microscopic, shimmering layer of evening dew, mirrored the brilliant artificial sun above.
A deafening, chest-thumping vibration erupted from sixty-six thousand throats as the Royal Challengers Bangalore openers emerged from the tunnel, stepping onto the vibrant emerald turf to begin their pursuit of 170.
Ravi Shastri: “Here they come, ladies and gentlemen! The Universe Boss and the Young Wolf! One stands as a mountain of raw muscle, the other moves like a lightning bolt of pure, unadulterated aggression. One hundred and seventy runs required, a direct ticket to the final dangling in the balance! The atmosphere inside this arena is nothing short of deafening!”
Danny Morrison: “Have a look at the kid, Ravi! Look at those eyes! Rocky Rudra isn’t walking out there—he is marching to war. And check the willow in his hands, that custom signature bat flying off the shelves nationwide… absolute perfection. It looks profoundly menacing!”
Rocky reached the center circle, his features locked in a cold, hyper-focused mask of intensity.
Cradled in his grip was his weapon of choice: the Kookaburra Kahuna: The Wolf Edition. Crafted from premium, unbleached English willow, the bat commanded immediate attention.
Running down the lower back spine was a striking, laser-engraved black howling wolf face, its jaws parted toward the handle, staring up at the darkening sky like a silent omen.
After a sharp, resonant fist-bump that telegraphed absolute mutual intent, Chris Gayle settled into his stance, tapping his massive bat against the crease as the bowler prepared to run in.
…
Over 1: Mitchell Johnson vs. Chris Gayle
The air smelled of sharp sea salt and heavy, unyielding anticipation as Mitchell Johnson accelerated from the High Court End, his long left arm a blur of sheer velocity against the backdrop of the Kolkata night sky.
0.1: Mitchell Johnson to Chris Gayle
Johnson slammed the ball hard into the pitch at 148 kilometers per hour, extracting steep, menacing bounce. Gayle dead-batted it with soft hands, dropping it solidly toward mid-on.
A collective, collective “Ooh!” rippled through the packed stands as the ball thudded into the turf.
NO RUN.
Danny Morrison: “Oh, beauty from Mitch! Testing the waters right away, hitting the deck hard at one-forty-eight! That’s how you start a Qualifier chase, Danni boy!”
0.2: Mitchell Johnson to Chris Gayle
Johnson adjusted instantly, digging it short and fast into the ribs. But Gayle required zero footwork; with a casual, disdainful lean backward, he met the searing pace and unleashed a flat, brutal pull shot that screamed over the deep square-leg boundary into the sea of red shirts.
Danny Morrison: “WHAM! Have a taste of that! No footwork, just pure, unadulterated Jamaican power! That ball has sailed into the stratosphere!”
SIX RUNS.
0.3: Mitchell Johnson to Chris Gayle
Smarting from the maximum, Johnson over-corrected wildly, hurling a wide delivery well outside the off-stump tramlines. Gayle watched it sail past with a cool, mocking smirk, offering no stroke. Dot ball.
Danny Morrison: “Oof, a bit wide of the mark there, Mitch! Panic stations already? The Big Boss is just standing there enjoying the view!”
0.4: Mitchell Johnson to Chris Gayle
Johnson pitched it full, angling into the pads. Gayle clipped it with minimal effort down toward fine-leg. At the non-striker’s end, Rocky Rudra exploded out of the blocks, sprinting like a gazelle and screaming encouragement, pushing Gayle hard for the second.
They scamper back easily ahead of the throw.
Danny Morrison: “And look at the youngster running! Rudra’s pushing for two like his life depends on it! That electric intent between the wickets is unreal!”
TWO RUNS.
0.5: Mitchell Johnson to Chris Gayle
Looking for redemption, Johnson searched for a scorching yorker but missed his mark by a single vital inch.
Gayle presented the full, unyielding face of his bat, punching the ball on the up with immaculate timing straight past the bowler. It rocketed across the lightning-fast outfield and thudded straight into the long-off rope.
Danny Morrison: “CRACKED! Right back past the bowler! No stopping that one, it’s racing to the fence like a bullet!”
FOUR RUNS.
0.6: Mitchell Johnson to Chris Gayle
Johnson dug deep, finishing the over with a vicious, venomous bouncer targeted right at the helmet. Gayle effortlessly ducked underneath it, letting it sail through to the keeper.
Danny Morrison: “And a sharp bouncer to wrap up the over! What a breathless start to the chase!”
___
As the over ended with 12 runs already on the board, David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd leaned into his microphone with a wide grin.
David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd: “Twelve off the first over! The Universe Boss is well and truly in the mood, Danny! And look down at the other end at Rocky Rudra—he’s already shadow-practicing those drives in his crease. Man, that lad is just itching to get on strike!”
___
Over 2: Sandeep Sharma vs. Rocky Rudra
Sandeep Sharma—Punjab’s lethal swing maestro—took the brand-new white ball at the High Court End, wiping the seam against his trousers.
At the striker’s end, nineteen-year-old Rocky Rudra settled into position. He tapped his Kookaburra Kahuna: The Wolf Edition firmly against the red dirt, taking a distinctly open guard.
Crouching low with a sharp, pre-meditated crouch reminiscent of a young Ricky Ponting, his eyes burned through the dark wire grille of his red helmet.
The intensity was so palpable that sixty-six thousand voices inside Eden Gardens erupted into a rhythmic, deafening cadence: “RUDRA! RUDRA! RUDRA!”
…
1.1: Sandeep Sharma to Rocky Rudra
Sandeep pitched it full, searching for his signature late out-swing. But Rocky had already read the seam. Executing a crisp, Punter-esque trigger movement, he skipped two paces down the track, converted the delivery into a full half-volley, and lifted it effortlessly over extra-cover with a pristine, high elbow.
The ball sailed clean over the rope and thudded into the lower tiers.
David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd: “OH, IS THAT PUNTING OR WHAT?! Goodness me, he’s danced down the pitch like a veteran! High elbow, perfect balance, and BOOM! Six runs straight over extra-cover! What a shot to mark your territory, son!”
SIX RUNS.
1.2: Sandeep Sharma to Rocky Rudra
Sandeep adjusted his length, aiming for the pads. Rocky leaned across his stumps and whipped a flick off his hips, placing the ball exquisitely into the vast gap between deep mid-wicket and long-on.
Exploding out of his crease, Rocky completed an aggressive, sharp pivot at the non-striker’s end, pushing the towering Chris Gayle hard to scurry back for a frantic third run.
David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd: “Look at the turn from the young lad! He pivots on a sixpence, mate! He’s running Gayle ragged out there, demanding three, and they get it comfortably! Electric running!”
1.3: Sandeep Sharma to Chris Gayle
Sandeep fired a full, yorker-length delivery outside off. Gayle dug it out towards long-off. Instantly, Rocky’s voice sliced through the stadium noise—”YES! THREE, CHRIS! THREE!”—forcing the heavy-set West Indian into another sprint.
The running between the two was becoming a masterclass in clinical communication.
David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd: “And again! Rocky’s calling before the fielder’s even turned his head! He’s got the Big Boss moving like a teenager! Three more added to the tally!”
1.4: Sandeep Sharma to Rocky Rudra
Attempting to drag his length back, Sandeep tried to cramp Rocky for room tight into his ribs. Rocky didn’t flinch. Holding his ground with his open stance, his lightning-fast hands whipped through the line of the ball, pulling a length ball from outside off-stump with terrifying power.
The ball soared high into the humid night, landing deep inside the mid-wicket stands.
SIX RUNS.
David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd: “WALLOP! Stand and deliver! He’s pulled a ball from outside off-stump all the way over the roof! That’s raw, unfiltered bat speed, Danny! The kid is an absolute prodigy!”
1.5: Sandeep Sharma to Rocky Rudra — NO RUN
Sandeep rolled his fingers over the seam, producing a clever, gripping slower ball. Rocky spotted the change of pace early, remaining deep in his crease to pat it back to the bowler.
Without saying a word, Rocky walked a few paces down the strip, locking eyes with Sandeep in an unblinking, cold stare until the bowler turned back.
David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd: “Slower ball well met. But have a look at the stare-down! No words, no chatter, just pure, cold intent from Rocky. He’s not letting Sandeep settle for a single microsecond!”
1.6: Sandeep Sharma to Rocky Rudra
Sandeep hurled a tight, full delivery wide of off-stump to finish. Rocky leaned across and fielded it cleanly back off his front pad, ending the over with a firm defensive stroke. He tapped the pitch twice with his bat, his face completely devoid of a smile—only cold, unadulterated focus.
NO RUN.
David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd: “And a dot to finish a massive over! Eighteen runs coming off it! The Universe Boss and the Young Wolf are tearing the script to shreds right out of the gates!”
The Broadcast Reaction
As the players reset for the third over, Harsha Bhogle leaned over the commentary console, shaking his head in sheer admiration.
Harsha Bhogle: “Eighteen off the over! Rocky Rudra is playing with the mechanical template of Ricky Ponting, but with the raw, brutal power of something much more modern. That open stance is giving him an uninterrupted vision of the bowler’s release! The ball is hitting the absolute screws of that custom Kookaburra bat every single time.”
MATCH PROGRESS: OVER 2.0 SUMMARY
RCB 30/0 (2.0 Overs)
Target: 170
Run Rate: 15.00
RRR: 7.77
Batting-
C. Gayle 15* (7b)
R. Rudra 15* (5b)
____
Over 3: Mitchell Johnson vs. Gayle & Rudra
Mitchell Johnson marched back to his mark, his expression dark and visibly fractured by the onslaught.
As he passed Rocky Rudra, the fast bowler clipped his shoulder deliberately against the young batsman’s arm in a raw display of frustration.
Rudra did not flinch, nor did he offer a word. He simply stared past him at the glowing scoreboard, calmly re-adjusting the velcro on his batting gloves.
2.1: Mitchell Johnson to Chris Gayle
Johnson launched into his run-up and unleashed a ferocious 151 kilometers per hour thunderbolt that hissed through the humid air. Gayle stood tall, meeting it with a dead, defensive bat.
Danny Morrison: “One-fifty-one on the speed gun, Danni boy! Johnson is breathing absolute fire right now, trying to intimidate the big man!”
2.2: Mitchell Johnson to Chris Gayle
Another searing delivery on a good length. Gayle patted it back down the pitch. Johnson fielded it sharply and glared down the track.
NO RUN.
Danny Morrison: “Locked down! No quarter given by Mitch, he’s hunting for a breakthrough!”
2.3: Mitchell Johnson to Chris Gayle
Sensing the dot-ball pressure, Gayle calmly worked a short-of-length delivery down toward point, calling instantly for a sharp single.
As they crossed the strip, Gayle reached out and offered a firm, resonant fist-bump to his young partner.
Danny Morrison: “Quick single! They rotate the strike like clockwork, keeping the scoreboard ticking over!”
2.4: Mitchell Johnson to Rocky Rudra
The strike rotated to nineteen-year-old Rocky. Johnson dug it in short and viciously fast, targeting the throat. In a flash of pure muscle memory, Rocky executed a lightning-fast swivel, bringing down a grounded, perfectly controlled pull shot—the quintessential Ponting trademark—that screamed through square-leg and sailed clean over the ropes.
Danny Morrison: “HE HAS PULLED IT! Oh, goodness me! That is vintage Ponting elegance paired with an absolute sledgehammer! Maximum runs!”
SIX RUNS.
2.5: Mitchell Johnson to Rocky Rudra
Rattled by the maximum, Johnson over-corrected and served up a juicy half-volley. Rocky refused to over-hit.
Shifting his weight effortlessly onto his front foot, he leaned into a glorious straight drive. The Kookaburra Kahuna connected with a sound resembling a sharp whip-crack, racing past the bowler to the boundary.
Danny Morrison: “Whip-crack! Straight down the ground, absolute textbook perfection! Johnson has completely lost his radar!”
FOUR RUNS.
2.6: Mitchell Johnson to Rocky Rudra
Desperate to find an angle, Johnson fired a wide delivery outside off. Rocky reached out with lightning-fast hands and slaps it through point with a ferocious, horizontal-bat cut shot.
The ball tore across the turf, slamming into the advertising boards before the fielder could even blink.
FOUR RUNS.
Danny Morrison: “Slash and burn! That is fifteen runs off the over, and Mitchell Johnson is melting down under the lights!”
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IN THE COMMENTARY BOX
Ravi Shastri: “FIFTEEN OFF THE OVER! HE IS TREATING 150 KMPH LIKE IT’S CLUB CRICKET! Rocky Rudra is once again making a world-class fast bowler look completely ordinary! The Wolf is truly on the prowl tonight!”
Danny Morrison: “Look at the interaction out there! Rudra walks up to Gayle, gives him a hard high-five, and barks something fierce. There is no polite, quiet cricket out here tonight. This is something special! This is pure, unadulterated dominance!”
The scoreboard ticked over to a staggering 45/0 after just 3 overs.
The daunting target of 170 suddenly looked entirely minuscule against the relentless tide of red and gold.
The heavy scent of rain-soaked grass, the deafening roar of sixty-six thousand voices, and the blinding flash of Rudra’s bat under the floodlights marked the unstoppable dawn of a historic chase.
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Scorecard Summary: After 3 Overs
RCB: 45/0 (Target: 170)
Run Rate: 15.00
RCB needed 125 runs off 102 balls to qualify for THE PEPSI IPL 2014 FINAL.
RCB:
Rocky Rudra: 29* (8b 2×4, 3×6, SR- 362.50)
Chris Gayle: 16 (10b, 1×4, 1×6, SR- 144.44)
Ball-by-Ball Progression (PXIP)
Over 1: Mitchell Johnson (12 Runs)
Dot (Gayle)
SIX (Gayle)
Dot (Gayle)
2 Runs (Gayle)
FOUR (Gayle)
Dot (Gayle)
Over Total: 12-0-0-12
Over 2: Sandeep Sharma (18 Runs)
SIX (Rudra)
3 Runs (Rudra)
3 Runs (Gayle)
SIX (Rudra)
Dot (Rudra)
Dot (Rudra)
Over Total: 30-0-0-18
Over 3: Mitchell Johnson (15 Runs)
Dot (Gayle)
Dot (Gayle)
1 Run (Gayle)
SIX (Rudra)
FOUR (Rudra)
FOUR (Rudra)
Over Total: 45-0-0-15
___
The atmosphere at Eden Gardens was reaching a fever pitch as Rudra continued his assault on the KXIP bowling attack, specifically targeting their main bowler Mitchell Johnson once again with his aggressive, Punter-style stroke plays.
The signature Kookaburra Kahuna bat was finding the boundary with such precision that it left George Bailey searching for answers as the Powerplay continued.
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