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 ❤️

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The digital world exploded into a frenzied mix of awe and terror as Rocky Rudra's 37-ball century dismantled the Rajasthan Royals.

The "Ee Sala Cup Namde" declaration didn't just trend, it became a digital anthem, while Mumbai and Chennai fans watched in a state of growing existential dread.

The Twitter/X Timeline: April 26, 2014

@mufaddal_vohra (verified):

"ROCKY RUDRA! 💯 off just 37 balls!

132 (52). 11 Fours. 10 Sixes.

He was literally fuming after that Sharjah robbery and he just took it out on Rajasthan. This isn't just a century. It's a statement of war. RCB is officially the team to beat, ofc, without cheating. 😜🐺🔥 #IPL2014 #RCBvRR #TheWolf"

@Desi_TokaOdia: "Sujit Sir has really created a monster. Cuttack is celebrating like it's Diwali!"

@Desi_Punter: "I've never seen anyone channel Ricky Ponting's aggression better than Rudra. That pull shot should be illegal."

@Rocky_Paltan: "Every time Rudra scores, I send 5 hate mails to the MI management. How on the earth did we let this happen??"

@whistlepodu_army: "Okay, even I'm feeling scared now. How do you plan for a guy who hits reverse sweeps like that?"

@Rudra_The_Outlier: "He said #EeSalaCupNamde. He wasn't joking at all. You can see it in his eyes."

@SagarSarcasm (verified):

(Image of a teacher looking at a student's paper with 100/100)

"Rocky Rudra after hitting a 37-ball 100: 'I still need to improve.'

Me after waking up before 10 AM: 'I have achieved everything in life, Amma.'" #RCBvRR #RockyRudra

@RR_HallaBol: "Can someone tell Rocky Rudra that we aren't the ones who gave him out in the last game? Why are you hitting us like we stole your money? 😭💔 #RajasthanRoyals #Help"

@KingKohliFC: "Virat's reaction at the non-striker's end was all of us. He knows he has found his partner in crime. The King and the Wolf have officially broken the IPL. #PlayBold"

@Mumbai_CricketUpdates: "Watching Rudra celebrate in an RCB jersey hurts more than a toe-crushing yorker. We had him. We had the future. 🤦‍♂️ #MumbaiIndians"

@CricCrazyJohns:

"Fastest 100s in IPL history:

1. Chris Gayle (30 balls)

2. Rocky Rudra (37 balls) - TODAY

3. Yusuf Pathan (37 balls)

Rudra has equalled Pathan but with the intensity of a man seeking revenge. This man is special. Although Rudra has scored 29 balls 100, it was in CLT20."

@TheBakchod: "Rocky Rudra is the type of guy who gets a 99% in exams and then asks the teacher for the 1% he missed. Alpha mentality!"

@NammaBengaluru: "The roar at MG Road when he hit that century! The whole city is vibrating back in India. We believe in that magical words now. #EeSalaCupNamde 🔴🔥"

@GabbbarSingh (verified): "Rudra didn't just hit a century. He performed an exorcism on the Rajasthan bowling lineup. Shane Watson looks like he wants to go back to 2008. 😂"

@Zomato:

"Ordered a 100 but Rocky Rudra delivered it in 37 balls. That's what we call lightning delivery! ⚡🍕"

(A/N: I know Zomato wasn't there lol.)

@IPL_Meme_Lord:

(Meme: Rudra staring at the KKR logo) "I haven't forgotten."

(Next slide: Rudra smashing RR) "This is just the warmup."

@CricketRomantic:

"Seeing Rudra pump his fist on the RCB logo... the loyalty is real. He has finally found his home. He's the missing piece of the puzzle. 🐺❤️"

@TrollCricketIn:

(Image of a wolf in a red jersey) "The hunt has only just begun. Hide your bowlers."

@StatsGuru_Vicky: "RCB's NRR is now in a different dimension. +5.36 was already high, but a 119-run win? +3.71. They are practically playing a different sport right now."

@Drama_IPL: "April 26, 2014. The night the Wolf claimed the Sharjah desert. KKR, you're next. The debt is real. #TheWolfIsComing"

RCB now sat comfortably at the 2nd position of the table with a historic NRR, fueled by the most lethal opening duo in the league's history.

___

The Table Standings (After 4 Matches)

1. KXIP: M- 4 W- 4 L- 0 Pts- 8 | NRR +1.200

2. RCB: M- 4 W- 3 L- 1 Pts- 6 | NRR +3.7082

3. CSK: M- 4 W- 3 L- 1 Pts- 6 | NRR +0.655

4. KKR: M- 4 W- 2 L- 2 Pts- 4 | NRR +0.200

...

While Kings XI Punjab remained in the first-place position with a perfect 8 points from four wins, RCB was on the second place with 6 points and a massive, world-record Net Run Rate of +3.708, followed by Chennai Super Kings also on 6 points but with a lower NRR of +0.655 and Kolkata Knight Riders with 4 points with NRR of +0.200.

____

Sony Six Studio

The air inside the Sony Six high-tech studio in Mumbai was a stark contrast to the humid, electric chaos of Sharjah.

It was cool, smelling faintly of expensive espresso and the metallic tang of high-end broadcasting equipment. Blue neon light strips pulsed along the glass floors, reflecting off the sharp suits of the men gathered around the mahogany analysis table.

Alan Wilkins sat at the center, his posture impeccable, a fountain pen poised over his notes.

To his left, Harsha Bhogle was a ball of kinetic energy, his eyes bright with the thrill of the numbers. To his right, Ramiz Raja leaned back with flamboyant ease, while Sunil Gavaskar sat with his arms crossed, a look of grim, technical fascination on his face.

...

Alan Wilkins, looking directly into the lens with a warm, impeccable BBC-gold baritone.

"Welcome back to our tournament analysis here on Sony Six. Well, we are only four matches into the season for most of these franchises, and yet, the narrative of this 2014 campaign has already been completely hijacked. It really is turning into a quite extraordinary two-horse race at the top—on one hand, the brutal, devastating efficiency of Kings XI Punjab, and on the other, the sheer, unadulterated violence of the Royal Challengers Bangalore."

Harsha Bhogle tapped his tablet excitedly, a wide, animated smile on his face. "Oh, look at that table, Alan! Just look at it. Punjab is absolutely flying—four wins out of four, and frankly, Glenn Maxwell and David Miller look like they're playing a completely different sport altogether! But then you cast your eyes down to second place. RCB is sitting there with a Net Run Rate of plus three-point-seven-zero-eight. You know, in all my years of sports broadcasting, I don't think I've ever seen a number that looks so much like a typographical error, but isn't! It's just spectacular."

Ramiz Raja leaned forward dramatically, gesturing expansively with his hands.

"Look, it's that hundred-and-nineteen-run demolition today that has completely broken the scale, Alan! I mean, let's be entirely honest here—they didn't just beat Rajasthan Royals tonight. They absolutely steamrolled them. It was a proper nuclear strike! And you know, if not for that absolute shocker of an umpiring blunder in Sharjah against KKR, Bangalore would be sitting pretty at the top of the pile with a perfect record. They fell short by a mere two runs. Young Rudra was absolutely flying on twelve when he was given out. You give that boy just three more deliveries, and RCB is sitting comfortably at four-and-zero!"

Sunil Gavaskar cleared his throat, adjusting his jacket, and speaking with a sharp, old-school authority, "Well, Ramiz, a bad decision is part and parcel of the game, but what really impresses me is the discipline behind the anger. When you are fired up like Rocky Rudra was tonight, it is very easy to lose your shape and throw your wicket away. But his head position was absolutely spot on. The weight transfer on that first cover drive against Richardson—sensational. That is what separates a proper batsman from a slogger. He didn't just vent his frustration, he punished the bowling with immaculate cricket shots."

...

Alan Wilkins: (Leaning forward, gesturing smoothly toward the production desk with a sharp, polished smile) "Speaking of Rocky Rudra, let's take a look at the sheer individual brilliance that is driving this Bangalore net run rate right into the stratosphere. Control room, can we get that Rudra graphic up on the screen, please?"

The massive 3D screen behind them shimmered, displaying a stylized image of Rocky Rudra froze mid-pull shot, a snarling black wolf ghosted into the background graphics.

ROCKY RUDRA: IPL 2014 STATS (4 MATCHES)

• Innings: 4

• Runs: 288

• Highest: 132

• Scores: 86, 58, 12, 132

• Average: 72.00

• Balls Faced: 119

• Strike Rate: 244.06

• 4s / 6s: 22 / 24

Harsha Bhogle: (Staring at the screen, shaking his head in bewilderment, his voice dropping into a breathless whisper) "Look at those numbers. Just look at them... A strike rate of nearly two hundred and forty-five. In the history of this league, we have seen little cameos at two hundred—a quick fifteen off seven balls. But we have never, ever seen a cumulative tournament strike rate sustained at nearly two hundred and fifty strike rates after four full games! He's literally hitting a six every five balls he faces. It's mind-boggling!"

Ramiz Raja: (Letting out a short, sharp chuckle, shifting in his chair with a flamboyant shrug) "Look, it's a pity, really. I mean, it's a pity that even with these sensational numbers, people in the establishment are still questioning if he is 'ready' for the national white-ball setup. Frankly, I think the BCCI is doing the rest of the cricketing world a massive favor by keeping him out of the Indian white-ball team. If they actually pick him, the opposition won't even survive the first ten overs!"

The joke was light, but Sunil Gavaskar didn't crack a smile.

He slowly uncrossed his arms, his face hardening as his eyes locked onto the glowing statistical graphic. He tapped his fountain pen sharply against the mahogany table—a rhythmic, agitated sound that echoed clearly through his lapel microphone.

Sunil Gavaskar: (Voice dropping into a low, dangerously flat, deadpan tone that instantly silenced the entire studio) "It's not a pity, Ramiz. Let's call a spade a spade here—it is an absolute disgrace. We are witnessing a once-in-a-generation talent, a young boy who is technically superior to almost any top-order batsman in the world right now, and he is being actively sidelined by boardroom politics. The bias is completely blinding. N. Srinivasan and the current regime need to sit down and decide whether they are actually running a national cricket board or just operating a private club."

Gavaskar leaned forward, his piercing eyes burning directly into the broadcast lens.

Sunby G continuing without a single hint of hesitation. "If you cannot even manage your own family matters, how on earth do you expect to manage the future of Indian cricket? Srinivasan should step down, he should resign first to show accountability. To see a kid coming all the way from Cuttack, honing his skills in the tough Mumbai maidans, and proving his mettle on the global stage while the national selectors purposely look the other way... it is an absolute insult to the game of cricket."

When it comes to unfiltered, heavy-hitting words, Sunny G never hesitates.

____

The studio fell silent for a heartbeat, the weight of Gavaskar's critique hanging heavily in the air.

Alan Wilkins cleared his throat, smoothly steering the conversation back to the technical brilliance of the player on the turf.

With a thoughtful nod, Alan Wilkins adjusting his notes, "It's a fascinating perspective, Sunny. Because watching Rocky Rudra today... he really did remind me so much of a young Ricky Ponting. He has that brash, completely self-confident energy. That absolute 'tit-for-tat' vibe where if a bowler dares to sledge him, he simply dispatches them over the ropes. But quite honestly? I'm not sure even Ricky was this impressive at nineteen years of age."

Alan smiled, his eyes lighting up as he recalled the match footage.

Alan Wilkins: "Rocky has almost gone beyond the Ponting blueprint. He's already added the sweeps and the reverse sweeps to his arsenal—strokes that Ricky only mastered much later in his career, and never used them. At nineteen, most young cricketers would be perfectly satisfied with scoring a fifty. They'd slow down just to secure their spot in the side. But Rudra? He's looking to dominate from ball one."

Alan Wilkins: (Voice filled with genuine admiration) "And it's not just down to raw talent. The reports coming out of the Bangalore camp are quite staggering. He is in the gym every morning before five o'clock alongside Virat Kohli. Now mind you, Kohli is twenty-five and already an established superstar. Rudra is just starting out, yet his work ethic and his hunger completely match the captain's. That is what separates the good from the great. If he maintains that level of desire, he will be incredibly difficult to stop. I am certainly betting my reputation on this young man."

The other three panelists nodded, finding it hard to disagree with the assessment.

Harsha Bhogle: (Leaning forward, his voice rising in pitch with characteristic excitement) "And you know, Alan, let's not forget the most terrifying part for the rest of this competition—Chris Gayle returns for the next match! The 'Universe Boss' is back in the mix. Just imagine a top three of Gayle, Rudra, and Kohli. As a captain, how do you even begin to set a field to that? Where on earth do you bowl?"

Ramiz Raja: (Quipping instantly with an expressive wave of his hand) "Look, Harsha, you don't! You just hand the ball back to the umpire and book an early flight home!"

"Hahahahaha!" X4

Alan Wilkins chuckled, shuffling his papers as the closing theme music began to swell—a fast-paced, electronic track signaling the end of the broadcast.

Looking directly into the main camera lens, he opened his mouth, "Well, Bangalore is entering the mid-period of this tournament looking like a real juggernaut. With a record-breaking net run rate, a firing opening sensation, and the Universe Boss returning to action, the 'Ring of Fire' in Sharjah might just be the perfect setting for Rocky Rudra's growing legend. For Harsha, Sunny, and Ramiz, I'm Alan Wilkins. The hunt continues tomorrow. Goodnight to you all."

The red tally light on the camera flickered off.

Sunil Gavaskar stood up immediately, still looking deeply frustrated with the BCCI unnecessary politics, while Harsha and Alan instantly dove into a lively discussion regarding the biomechanics of Rudra's front-foot pull.

Outside, the Mumbai night was loud, but inside the studio, the focus remained locked on the boy who was turning the 2014 IPL into his personal revenge tour.

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(A/N: Want to read advance chapters? Check the author's note and give Power Stones ❤️)

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By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me 💎 :)