Chapter 96: Extraas Innings (3074 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 studio lights of Sony MAX flickered to life, a blinding neon blue and silver that reflected off the polished glass floor.
The air smelled of hairspray, expensive espresso, and the electric ozone of a dozen television monitors.
In the background, the iconic IPL theme music—that rhythmic, high-energy trumpet blast, pulsed through the speakers, making every heart in the room beat a little faster.
Samir Kochhar stood center stage, his suit sharp, flashing a thousand-watt smile at Camera 1.
"Welcome to Extraaa Innings T20! We are just four days away from the greatest drama on Earth. But this time, the carnival moves! Because of the General Elections back home, we are taking the magic to the shifting sands of the UAE. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah! Get ready, because the desert is about to catch fire!"
Beside him, Archana Vijaya and Shibani Dandekar leaned against the high-top desk, looking radiant.
"The atmosphere is already buzzing," Shibani added, glancing at a screen showing the Burj Khalifa lit up in IPL colors. "The teams have landed, the kits are out, and the 'Wolf' has been sighted in the desert heat."
She was well aware of audience favorite and didn't hide the news about what they wanted to hear the most.
The Expert Panel:
The camera panned to the "Pundit's Corner."
Navjot Singh Sidhu was practically vibrating in his seat, wearing a turban so bright it could be seen from space.
Beside him sat a calm Isa Guha, a tactical Arun Lal, and the ever-grinning Ajay Jadeja.
Samir: "Guru, let's talk about the team everyone is whispering about. The Royal Challengers Bangalore. They've built a squad that looks less like a cricket team and more like a Hollywood Blockbuster lineup. Look at this roster!"
The screen flashed the RCB 2014 Official Roster:
Players:
Top Order: Rocky Rudra, Chris Gayle (OS), Virat Kohli (C), Vijay Zol
Middle Order: AB de Villiers (OS), S. Badrinath, Mandeep Singh, Tanmay Mishra
Wicket-Keepers: Parthiv Patel, Yogesh Takawale
All-Rounders: Albie Morkel (OS), Sachin Rana
Fast Bowlers: Mitchell Starc (OS), Ravi Rampaul (OS), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Varun Aaron, Ashok Dinda, Harshal Patel, Sandeep Warrier, Abu Nechim
Spinners: Muttiah Muralitharan (OS), Yuzvendra Chahal
...
Sidhu: "Oye hoye, guru! Samir, my brother, this isn't a batting lineup, this is a celestial event! You've got the Universe Boss, you've got the King, you've got Mr. 360, and now... now you've got the Wolf! [Leans forward, slapping the desk] When Rocky Rudra walks out to open with Chris Gayle, the bowlers won't even need a ball, boss—they'll need a white flag! Thoko taali! Aisi waisi baat nahi hai! It's like putting a lion, a tiger, and a cheetah in the same cage and asking the deer to play fair!"
Isa Guha: [Laughs, shaking her head] "It does look formidable on paper, Sidhu. But for me, it's all about the balance this time. Bringing in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mitchell Starc completely solves those death bowling woes they've suffered from since 2010. And as for Rocky... I mean, at 18, turning 19, he just provides that perfect stability at the top. He allows Gayle to just be Gayle. If Rocky anchors the innings, the others can simply incinerate the opposition. And let's not forget King Kohli. Maybe Virat plays the anchor role this season, allowing Rocky to play that ultra-aggressive brand of cricket we saw from him in the CLT20."
Ajay Jadeja: [Grinning widely, adjusting his jacket] "Look, Samir, I've honestly never seen a team start an IPL tournament as such heavy favorites. Usually, we say T20 cricket is a complete lottery, right? Anyone can win on their day. But when you look at a side with Rudra and Kohli together? That's not a lottery, boss. That's a fixed deposit with one hundred percent guaranteed interest!"
___
The Predictions:
Gaurav Kapoor walked onto the set, holding a digital tablet.
"Alright, let's put some necks on the line here. This UAE leg is going to be incredibly tricky. The pitches are historically slow, the boundaries in Sharjah are absolutely tiny, and that desert heat is just brutal. Experts, give me your Top 4 for the playoffs, plus a wildcard."
The digital board updated as they spoke:
1. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): 99% Prediction. (Unanimous Title Contenders).
2. Chennai Super Kings (CSK): As usual the favourite, The "Old Guard" led by Dhoni.
3. Mumbai Indians (MI): The defending champions, though many predicted a "flop" start after losing Rudra.
4. Kings XI Punjab (KXIP): The dark horse with Maxwell and Miller.
5. Wildcard - Rajasthan Royals (RR): The money-ball specialists.
...
Arun Lal: [Nodding seriously, gesturing with his pen] "Gaurav, I'm calling it right now. RCB will not just make the top four. They are going to absolutely dominate the league stage and the playoffs too. The sheer technical prowess of Rocky Rudra paired with Gayle's raw power is going to be far too much for any bowling attack in this heat. Now, my flop pick? I honestly think Mumbai Indians are going to struggle big time. They've essentially lost the soul of their batting lineup by letting Rocky go. Not to mention, with both Sachin and Ponting taking back seats now, it's going to be very difficult for them to pick themselves up."
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Samir Kochhar: [Leans forward, lowering his voice for dramatic effect] "Alright, before we wrap up this massive special preview, I want to know from the panel—heart over head... Who are you guys really backing to go all the way?"
Archana Vijaya: [Smiling radiantly, waving her hand] "Look, it's just impossible to look past the Red and Gold this year, Samir. RCB all the way for me!"
Shibani Dandekar: [Nodding in agreement] "I always love a good underdog story, but honestly, this RCB squad just feels far too powerful to stop."
Isa Guha: [With sharp analytical focus] "Tactically speaking, this is the most complete RCB side I've seen in years. Providing all those massive pieces connect on the field, they are the team to beat."
Sidhu: [Leaning completely into the camera, gesturing wildly] "Oye guru! The Wolf is hungry, and the King is thirsty! Mark my words, Bangalore will roar like a massive thunderstorm in the desert! Thoko taali!"
Ajay Jadeja: [Flash of a brilliant grin, shrugging his shoulders] "You know me, Samir, I'll always go with MS Dhoni and CSK for the sheer fight, but this year? It's RCB for the trophy."
Gaurav Kapoor: [Grinning, pointing a finger at the screen] "Forget everything else, I am strictly here for the Rocky Rudra show. It's RCB all day!"
Samir Kochhar: [Turns sharply to Camera 1, voice rising to a booming crescendo] "There you have it, ladies and gentlemen! The desert is waiting, the fans are screaming, and the world's greatest players are ready to battle for the ultimate crown!"
The studio cameras pull back rapidly as the screen begins to fade into a cinematic montage.
First, a stylized animation of Rocky Rudra's viral "Mi Familia" post flashes across the screen, transitioning instantly into slow-motion footage from the Dubai practice nets. The clip shows Rudra stepping down the track, a sharp crack echoing through the speakers as he launches a massive six, the ball disappearing completely into the pitch-black desert night sky.
A massive, heavy metallic graphic slams onto the screen with a loud, industrial clang:
IPL 2014: 4 DAYS TO GO
Live from the UAE – Only on Sony MAX & Sony SIX.
The iconic Extraaa Innings theme music swells to an absolute crescendo, the studio lights dim to a soft, dramatic purple, and the digital countdown clock begins to tick down aggressively in the bottom corner of the screen.
The era of the "Wolf" in the desert was officially about to begin.
___
The blue light of thousands of smartphones illuminated faces across India as the Sony MAX preview ended, the haptic buzz of notifications creating a rhythmic hum in the midnight air.
The "Fab Five" tag and the RCB "Dream Team" roster had turned social media into a virtual battlefield of snark, hope, and pure, unadulterated salt.
The Great Debate on Twitter
@CricCrazyJohns vs. @Honest_Cric_Fan
@CricCrazyJohns: "Gayle. Kohli. ABD. And now Rudra. This isn't a cricket team anymore. It's a tax haven for batting talent. [Image: A literal nuclear explosion over a cricket stadium]. If RCB doesn't win the trophy with this lineup, they should just delete the franchise and convert the Chinnaswamy into a library. It's a cheat code. #IPL2014 #Rudra11 #PlayBold"
@Honest_Cric_Fan: (Quote Post) "Relax, John. We've seen this movie before...it's called The Great Gatsby, all flash and no finish. Rudra is 19 now and a Test beast no doubt. But the UAE heat is a different matter entirely. If they don't click, this won't just be a loss, it'll be a generational meme template. Imagine having the 2 of "Fab Five" and still losing to a medium-pacer in Sharjah. [Meme: A clown slowly putting on a red and gold wig]. #RCB #CricTwitter #Overhyped"
@CricCrazyJohns: (Replying under the Quoted post) "Test beast"? Did you somehow miss the IPL & CLT20 last season? Rudra is the insurance policy. If Gayle fails, the Wolf anchors. If the Wolf anchors, the King smashes. There is no "if" here, only "when."
@Honest_Cric_Fan: (replying to John) The "when" usually happens in the playoffs when the bowling collapses. Starc is great, but even he can't defend the ego of this batting lineup. If they fail, I'm changing my DP to a bottle of RCB water because that's the only thing they'll be serving: Tears."
(A/N: 🤣🤣🤣🤣)
The Feed:
@Paltan_Family: "Seeing Rocky in Red and Gold is like seeing your ex at a wedding with a billionaire. It hurts, but you know she's going to spend all his money and leave him at the altar. #BringBackRocky
@WhistlePoduHard: "RCB has the Avengers, but CSK has the Captain Cool. Experience > Ego. Let them have the "Fab Five", Media Trophy titles. We'll take the real trophy. 🦁"
@Rudra_Cult: (Replying to @WhistlePoduHard) "Rudra owned the so-called captain cool 4 times lol last year. 4>>> 0 Captain Fool. 😭"
@TheWolfPack_Odisha: "Number 11 on the back, fire in his eyes. Rocky is only 19, but he's already the soul of this team. Cuttack is watching! 🐺 #RudraEra"
@Statman_Ananth: "Probability of an RCB top-order collapse: 5%. Probability of the internet breaking if Rudra hits a 50 in red & gold: 100%."
@Aesthetic_Mumbaikar: "Our management really let an 19-year-old local legend go for "stability" and we lost 30% of fans, I was fine..Let it go. But mfs 🤬 we had to watch BCCI doing clownery stuff after MI clownery for 2014 T20 World Cup for "stability" once again and we saw Yuvi struggle in the entire tournament. Costing us a World Cup. What a Clown world! 🤡"
@Kohli_Stan_18: "Imagine being a bowler and seeing Gayle walk out, only to realize the guy at the other end is Rocky Rudra. I'd just bowl underarm to save my mental health."
@Sarcastic_Indian: "RCB winning the IPL is like my gym membership, lots of talk in March, absolutely nothing by May. #IPL2014"
@Inswinger_King: "Bhuvi and Starc in the same team? The swing is going to be so lethal the batsmen will need a GPS to find the ball."
@Mahi_007: "The boundaries here are small. If Gayle and Rudra get going, the fans in the parking lot are in more danger than the fielders."
@CricketWallah: "Martin Crowe calling it the "Fab Five" has put a target on Rudra's back. Let's see if the 19-year-old can handle the heat."
@VijayZol_Fanclub: "Don't sleep on the youngsters. Zol and Rudra together? The future is here."
@Kohlination_18: (replying to @VijayZol_Fanclub) "WTF! Come out from your main account bro. We know it's you."
@TheGullyCricketer: "If RCB loses their first game in the UAE, I am deleting my account. The hype is too much to survive a loss and I can't imagine the hate if we lose."
@Sinful_9969: "The middle order is actually solid with ABD, Maddy and Badrinath. This isn't a top-heavy team anymore."
@Devilliers_FC: "360 degrees of talent plus the Wolf's instinct? This is illegal."
@IPL_Memes_Daily: "[Image: A picture of a gold trophy with a 'Reserved for RCB' sign, and a '404 Error' message layered over it]. We are ready for either outcome!"
The digital roar continued long into the night, the anticipation for the UAE leg reaching a fever pitch.
In coming days, the talk would end, and the Wolf would finally have to hunt in the desert.
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(A/N: Want to read advance chapters? Check the author's note and give Power Stones ❤️)
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