12th Man to Cricket Legend

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 on WhatsApp ❤️

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[Updating back-to-back chapters because I'm already too far ahead in WhatsApp. Therefore, I want to compensate to the readers who are reading for free. 😚]

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The post-lunch session at Kingsmead began with a heavy, expectant silence.

The coastal clouds had rolled in slightly, darkening the sky, but every eye in the stadium remained locked firmly on the center square as Graeme Smith tossed the ball to Imran Tahir to lead the attack.

The Durban pitch, typically known for its raw pace and carry, was suddenly showing visible signs of wear...offering the kind of sudden, biting purchase that makes high-quality leg-spin a terrifying prospect for any batsman.

Over 94.

Mark Nicholas: "We are back for the second session of this monumental Day 2. One hundred and eighty-eight runs for the young man from Odisha. Imran Tahir has the ball in his hand. The pitch is starting to puff a bit of dust from the footholes now. This is going to be a brutal test of nerves as much as technical skill."

Shaun Pollock: "Tahir will be looking for that big, sharp leg-break immediately. He's been expensive across the match, but as a leg-spinner, he only needs one magic delivery to completely turn the game on its head."

Ball 93.1 (86.5 km/h):

Tahir tosses the ball up slowly, tempting the young prodigy. It's a classic leg-break, landing perfectly on a probing length. Rocky moves forward gracefully, getting right to the pitch of the ball, and effortlessly kills the spin with a textbook, soft-handed defensive block.

Pommie Mbangwa: "Beautifully and cleanly played. Absolutely no signs of milestone nerves there. He's just settling back into his rhythm, absorbing the change of pace after the fast-bowling barrage of the morning."

Ball 93.2 (88.2 km/h):

Tahir gives it even more air, repeating the flight path. The ball lands in virtually the exact same spot, but this time, it hits a dry, cracked patch of turf and spits violently. It turns unpredictably, rising sharply off the surface like a tennis ball.

Rocky was suddenly caught entirely in no-man's-land.

He tried his best to withdraw his hands at the last microsecond, but the extra bounce made it impossible.

The ball kissed the shoulder of his bat and went straight into the waiting, secure hands of Hashim Amla at the first slip.

WICKET: Rocky Rudra c Amla b Imran Tahir 188 (296b 18x4 2x6)

India: 336/4

Mark Nicholas: (Standing up in shock, his voice echoing through the microphone) "HE'S GONE! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! AT 188! THE CYCLONE HAS BEEN SILENCED AT KINGSMEAD!"

Shaun Pollock: "Just look at that incredible turn, Mark! It was humanly impossible for any batsman to react to that once it pitched! It literally exploded off the surface. You have to feel for the young man there...falling twelve short of a historic double-ton, but what a magnificent, breathtaking innings we have witnessed from Rocky Rudra."

___

Rocky didn't stand there frozen for long.

The intense frustration of missing out on a maiden Test double-century by a mere twelve runs boiled over instantly.

He aggressively swung his bat through the air in a sharp shadow-stroke, the ball he knew he should have played...shouting at the top of his lungs.

Rocky was completely livid, spouting profanities into the humid air.

"Fuck! Madarchod! *"@##*##@#*!"

His emotions fluctuated even more intensely because he was aware that it was an unplayable delivery but it happened in such a critical moment.

Anyone in his place would have reacted the same way.

Omnipresent, the stump microphone clearly caught the jagged, unfiltered edge of his anger.

He wasn't mad at Imran Tahir, and he wasn't blaming the erratic pitch. He was simply furious with himself for not being faster, for not being absolutely perfect in his execution.

It was like he was hard on himself for unable pick that impossible turn.

At the non-striker's end, Ajinkya Rahane stood frozen to the spot, hands clamped tightly on his helmet, his face a mask of pure disbelief as he watched his young partner lower his head and begin the long, lonely walk back to the pavilion.

Pommie Mbangwa (in the air): "He is utterly devastated, you can hear the raw emotion echoing through the ground. He knows he had a monumental double-ton right in his grasp and let it slip. South Africa, meanwhile, on the hand, is ecstatic! Tahir has already broken into his signature marathon sprint and is halfway to the boundary fence!"

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But just as Rocky reached the grass at the edge of the 30-yard circle, his head still bowed in anger, umpire Rod Tucker suddenly raised his arm, palm facing outward to halt the walk.

Mark Nicholas: (Voice instantly spiking with drama) "Wait! Hold on just a moment! Rod Tucker has stopped the batsman! He's signaling across to his square-leg umpire... he is checking the front foot! He thinks Imran Tahir might have overstepped the line!"

The entire stadium underwent an immediate, surreal transformation, plunging from a roaring crescendo into a deafening, suffocating hush.

Out near the boundary billboard, Tahir stopped dead in his tracks, his celebratory sprint cut short in an instant as he looked back in horror. Rocky froze on the outfield, slowly turning his torso back toward the pitch, his heart hammering violently against his ribs as the realization washed over him.

Shaun Pollock: "This is a monumental moment in this Test match. If this front foot is over, it is quite literally the biggest, most significant reprieve in the history of this entire series. The tension here is palpable. Let's look up at the big screen."

The Replay:

The broadcast feed on the giant Kingsmead screen flashed, zooming in closely before freezing the frame at the exact microsecond Tahir's leading boot made contact with the turf. The heel was clearly, unambiguously landing beyond the white line.

Not a single centimeter of his shoe was grounded behind the popping crease.

Mark Nicholas: (Exploding with pure broadcast theater) "OH! It's a mile over! It is a massive, undisputable no-ball! The siren goes off around the ground! He is safe! Rocky Rudra is...NOT OUT!"

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Pommie Mbangwa: "Just look at the body language of the South Africans out there! Dale Steyn is violently kicking the turf at short fine-leg, Graeme Smith is in the umpire's ear trying to look for answers, but there is absolutely nothing they can do about this. Imran Tahir has just gifted a brand-new lease of life to the single most dangerous batsman in world cricket right now."

Rocky stood there on the turf for a quiet second, a small, slightly sheepish grin rapidly replacing the dark fury that had clouded his face moments ago.

He turned on his heel and walked back to the crease, tapping gloves with a relieved Ajinkya Rahane, who was still shaking his head in a mixture of shock and nervous laughter.

The television cameras instantly cut away to the Indian viewing balcony, where Virat Kohli was visibly laughing at the absurdity of the drama, pressing both hands against his heart as if to mimic his own racing pulse.

Taking his guard once more, Rocky tapped his bat against the crease, the brief emotional storm entirely evaporated.

The Commentary Box:

Mark Nicholas: "You simply do not give a young man of this immense caliber a second chance in an important match. He was furious with himself just a moment ago, now, I feel he is going to be completely relentless. One hundred and eighty-eight not out. The great double-century quest continues on Day 2, courtesy of Imran Tahir's overstepping front foot."

Shaun Pollock: "That is quite literally the luck of a champion, Mark. You survive a completely unplayable delivery that spat out of the dust simply because the bowler committed a fundamental error behind you. It is a massive psychological shift in this session. Let's see exactly how this young man responds to his newly acquired 'extra life'."

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The tension at Kingsmead didn't merely evaporate after the dramatic no-ball, instead, it transformed into something dangerously hyper-focused.

The reprieve seemed to have flicked a psychological switch deep inside Rocky Rudra. If he was angry before, he was terrifyingly clinical now.

Conversely, Imran Tahir, visibly rattled by the haunting siren of the no-ball, trudged heavily back to his mark, his rhythm completely shattered.

Over 94 Continued...

Mark Nicholas: "You can see it right there in his eyes, Shaun. The lingering anger is completely gone. It's been replaced by something much more dangerous—intent. Tahir has to be absolutely perfect here on this re-bowled delivery, or this could get ugly very quickly for South Africa."

Ball 93.2 (Re-bowled — 87.4 km/h):

Tahir tosses it up slowly, desperately trying to target that exact same dry patch of turf. But Rocky doesn't wait around for the turn this time. He dances imperiously down the track, meeting the ball cleanly on the full, and hammers it directly past the non-striker.

The ball screamed past a ducking Ajinkya Rahane and rattled into the boundary fence in a heartbeat.

FOUR RUNS.

Mark Nicholas: (Voice rising in awe) "AUDACIOUS! He just got out—or at least thought he did...and on the very next legal delivery, he's charging the premier spinner! He is absolutely fearless! This boy possesses no mental memory of failure whatsoever!"

Rocky Rudra: 192*(296)

Ball 93.3 (88.6 km/h):

Tahir drops the ball slightly shorter, perhaps expecting another charging advance from the batsman. Rocky stays firmly rooted to his crease this time. He waits patiently for the leg-break to land, and with a thunderous swing of the bat that looks more like a powerhouse golfer's drive, he launches it high into the hazy Durban sky.

The sound off the blade was like a gunshot—pure willow on leather. It cleared the long-on boundary fence by twenty rows.

SIX RUNS.

Shaun Pollock: "GOODNESS ME! The sheer power in those forearms! He didn't even bother moving his feet there. He just trusted his swing and his core. The timing was so sweet that Tahir didn't even bother turning around to look back. He's on 198 now! He is standing right at the very doorstep of history!"

Rocky Rudra: 198* (297)

Ball 93.4 (86.0 km/h):

Tahir darts this one in flatter and much faster, attempting to stop the hemorrhaging of runs. Rocky adjusts instantly, leaning forward to defend it solidly into the pitch.

Ball 93.5 (85.2 km/h):

Tahir tries to deceive him with a sneaky googly well outside the off-stump line. Rocky watches the revolution of the ball all the way from the hand, diagnoses the variation perfectly, and calmly lets it pass through to the wicketkeeper.

Pommie Mbangwa: "That right there is the immense maturity we keep talking about. He could have easily tried to slog that wide ball anywhere just to fetch the historic double-ton, but he's waiting. He's showing us he can leave the temptation behind. He wants to do this the right way...the grand way."

Ball 93.6 (89.1 km/h):

The final ball of a chaotic over. Tahir tries to tempt him one last time with a highly flighted delivery wide of off-stump.

It was the ultimate bait, but Rocky didn't hesitate at all, he completely destroyed it.

He dropped down onto one knee and unleashed a monstrous, textbook slog-sweep.

The ball disappeared deep over the mid-wicket stands, likely landing somewhere out near the Indian Ocean.

SIX RUNS.

Mark Nicholas: (Shouting with his voice cracking with pure excitement while holding a paper) "THERE IT IS! TWO HUNDRED! A DOUBLE CENTURY FOR ROCKY RUDRA! AT EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD! HE HAS BROKEN THE RECORD! JAVED MIANDAD'S RECORD HAS FALLEN IN THE HUMIDITY OF DURBAN! Ladies and gentlemen, you are witnessing the birth of a global phenomenon!"

MILESTONE ALERT: Rocky Rudra scored 204* (300 balls, 19x4, 4x6)

Scorecard

India: 353/3 (94 Overs)

Rocky Rudra: 204* (300 balls ,4s- 19, 6s- 4, SR- 68.00)

Ajinkya Rahane: 12* (22 balls, 4s- 1, 6s- 0, SR- 54.55)

Extras - 30

Shaun Pollock: "To rewrite the record books with a six over the stands after that no ball scare... That tells you everything about the audacity of this young man. He did more than just crawling over the line. He blasted his way into history!"

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It was like witnessing the birth of a legend in real life—a singular moment in time destined to be spoken of in the same breath as the arrivals of Sir Vivian Richards and Sir Garfield Sobers, the immaculate genius of Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, or the ruthless dominance of Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis.

As the ball soared into the stands, the stadium fell into a momentary state of absolute shock before erupting into a deafening, prolonged standing ovation.

But today, Rocky didn't scream, nor did he pump his fists in aggressive validation...

He simply stood there in the center of the pitch for a quiet, heavy moment, letting the monumental weight of the achievement wash over him.

Slowly and calmly, he pulled off his helmet and put it down. He removed his gloves, and with a calm, serene expression, pointed both hands toward the blue Durban sky, closing his eyes in a silent prayer of immense gratitude.

Then, lowering his gaze, he looked down at his chest and firmly kissed the Indian logo on his white jersey—a gesture of pure love and pride towards his country.

The Commentary Box:

Shaun Pollock: (Tone hushed with immense respect) "Just look at the amount respect out there on the field. Graeme Smith is standing at mid-off, openly clapping. Dale Steyn, the man who tried to literally take his head off with a barrage of short stuff yesterday afternoon, is nodding in quiet appreciation. This transcends standard international rivalry, guys. This is greatness, pure and simple."

Pommie Mbangwa: "The Indian dugout is in an unbridled frenzy! Look at that—MS Dhoni is actually standing up on a chair in the balcony, and Virat Kohli is leaning so far over the railing he might fall, screaming his lungs out at the youngster! They know exactly what they're seeing out there. This isn't just a purple patch or a flashy debut series anymore. This is the thunderous arrival of a generational titan."

Mark Nicholas: "The history of our beautiful game has just turned a brand new page. Eighteen years old, and he has conquered Kingsmead with a double-century for the ages."

___

The deafening applause from the Kingsmead stands slowly settled into a rhythmic hum, but inside the broadcasting box, the sheer weight of what had just unfolded was only beginning to be processed.

The television graphics flashed the updated historical charts, and the names surrounding the teenager from Odisha were staggering.

Mark Nicholas: "Think about the names he has just surpassed today. Javed Miandad. Tom Graveney. These are the absolute immortals of the game. And here is an eighteen-year-old boy from Cuttack, a player who walked onto the plane to South Africa with zero prior first-class red-ball experience, scoring 179 on debut, backing it up with a fighting 47, and now an unbeaten 204 here in Durban. All of this in back-to-back Test matches against arguably the world's most brutal fast-bowling attack. It's a dream. No, it's better than a dream. It's the aftermath of the 'Rocky Rule' in full, glorious effect."

Shaun Pollock: "The youngest double-centurion in the long history of Test match cricket. He has permanently etched his name into the very stone of this sport today. Whatever happens in his international career from here on out, Durban 2013-14 will be remembered forever as the exact moment the world realized that cricket has given us a new God."

Score: India 353/3.

Rocky Rudra: 204* (300 balls, 19x4, 4x6)

Ajinkya Rahane: 12* (22 balls, 1x4)

The fielders slowly dispersed from their mid-pitch huddles, trading places as Morne Morkel walked back to his mark at the opposite end. Imran Tahir stood near the boundary, staring blankly at his boots, while Rocky casually readjusted his thigh pad, ready to face the next phase of the afternoon.

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(A/N: Want to read advance chapters? DM me on WhatsApp ❤️)

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