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 cinematic lighting of the studio set was soft and warm, casting an effortless, executive glow across the rich dark mahogany furniture.

Positioned comfortably on a sleek charcoal leather armchair, Pat Cummins sat with his legs casually crossed, wearing a fitted navy polo shirt with the sleeves resting midway up his forearms.

He leaned back into the leather cushion, looking relaxed and composed, holding a chilled bottle of water in one hand while his signature easygoing, boyish Australian grin flickered across his face.

The production was a high-budget Amazon Prime Video original docuseries titled The Art of Fast Bowling.

The camera crew utilized high-definition anamorphic lenses, capturing every subtle facial expression, the soft hum of the air conditioning unit, and the crisp ambient studio acoustics.

...

AMAZON PRIME VIDEO ORIGINAL: THE ART OF FAST BOWLING

Episode 4: "The Ultimate Challenge"

Guest: Pat Cummins (Australia Test & ODI Captain)

Location: Sydney Studio Studios

Production Date: September 2026

...

The off-camera interviewer, speaking through a rich studio microphone with a subtle English cadence, leaned back in his chair behind the main camera setup.

"Pat, over the last decade and a half, you've bowled to virtually every world-class batter of this generation," the interviewer began, his voice echoing cleanly through the room. "Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Babar Azam, Ben Stokes, Kumar Sangakkara early in your career... when you sit down and look at the sheer technical mastery across different conditions, who are the toughest batters you've ever bowled to?"

Cummins tilted his head slightly, letting out a soft, thoughtful chuckle as he rubbed his chin.

"Yeah, look, it's a massive list, isn't it?" Cummins said, his quiet Australian drawl smooth, articulate, and completely relaxed. "You look at someone like Joe Root in England—his movement in late crease play, how he uses his hands to cushion the ball in soft-deck conditions. Super tough to get out when he's in the rhythm. Kane Williamson in New Zealand as well. He just doesn't give you anything. He leaves impeccably well on length, forces you to bowl five, six balls in a row at his stumps, and wait for a mistake that rarely comes."

"It's a pity he has retired from cricket. I respect his decision though."

Cummins paused, taking a slow sip from his water bottle before resting his hands together.

"South Africa had AB de Villiers when I was coming back into the side around 2017. AB was just... ridiculous, really. He could manipulate your best 145 km/h yorker and scoop it over fine leg without even shifting his balance. You'd set a traditional field, bowl a top-of-off delivery, and he'd find a way to hit it into the grandstands."

The interviewer smiled, leaning forward as the lighting shifted slightly for the next segment. "And what about India?"

Cummins let out an instant, authentic laugh—a warm, knowing chuckle that crinkled the corners of his blue eyes as he shook his head slowly.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Cummins chuckled, resting his elbow on the armrest and gesturing with his hand.

"Yep. Rocky Rudra."

The screen transitioned to a montage of archival footage: a teenage Rocky Rudra stepping out at the Adelaide Oval in 2014, pulling Mitchell Johnson into the crowd, before cutting back to Cummins' calm, reflective face in the studio.

"That guy's been a menace for Australia since the 2014 Border-Gavaskar Trophy," Cummins said softly, his expression turning into one of profound professional respect. "He came out to Australia as a nineteen-year-old boy after monstrous perfomances in South Africa, New Zealand and England, and honestly, none of us had seen anything quite like it. Mitch (Johnson) was flying at 150 km/h, the pitches were fast and bouncy, and Rocky was just standing tall, picking up length early, and pulling him over mid-wicket with such disdain that I've yet to find a second one... I'm just glad that we managed to win that 2015 World Cup after all of that drama in the summer, to be fair!"

Cummins paused, his tone growing more analytical as he broke down the mechanics of Rocky's technique.

"Yeah. It's been incredibly tough to bowl to him," Cummins admitted, staring directly into the camera lens. "You can ask any bowler of this generation or those who have already retired from 2013 era. They'll pick Rocky alongside AB."

"He's the most perfect batter I have ever bowled to in my entire career. Not the most talented, mind you. AB will always remained the most talented unless... the new guy, I think it's sooryavanshi, right? Baibhav. Yeah, till he grow up to his fame."

He continued after clarifying his words. "Usually, with top batters, you find a small window—a seam movement flaw early in the morning, a weakness against the short ball on steep bounce, or a tendency to drag their front foot across against late inswing. With Rocky, there are no gaps. If you bowl full, he drives you through cover with immaculate balance. If you shorten your length by two inches, he rocks back and pulls you into the stands. You literally have to execute six perfect balls an over just to keep him quiet and not to let him destroy your momentum."

The interviewer leaned into the frame, tapping a folder on his desk, before asking that million dollar question. "Pat, if you were asked right now... would you pick Rocky among the greatest ever to play the game of cricket?"

Cummins replied confidently, without a single second of hesitation.

"Yeah. Definitely."

The room grew quiet as Cummins shifted forward, placing both hands together, his demeanor turning earnest.

He was aware what kind of effects these guys wanted and he simply didn't care.

"I mean, come on," Cummins continued, his voice steady and resolute. "With the kind of performances he has been putting up even now, after all these years, it's more than enough to be called the greatest player ever in cricket. No offense to Sir Donald Bradman or Sachin Tendulkar... I haven't played against them, obviously, but I think Rocky is definitely right there amongst the greatest ever to play cricket. If I had to give my personal opinion... to me, he's definitely the greatest ever."

A warm, playful grin broke across Cummins' face once more as he leaned back into his armchair.

"I mean, yeah... I kind of always wanted a guy of his caliber in my team, you know?" Cummins laughed softly, shaking his head. "No one can ignore his name when you're picking an all-time World XI. Having him and Travis Head open the batting together for Australia is still a silly dream of mine!"

"Probably will remain a dream forever!"

───

THE VIRAL REACTIONS & THE GOAT DEBATE REIGNITED

Within two hours of Amazon Prime Video releasing the official episode clip across YouTube, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), the video amassed over 34 million views, igniting a massive, global debate across newsrooms, podcasts, and sports radio shows.

...

GLOBAL MEDIA TRENDS:

SEPTEMBER 21, 2026

1. #RockyRudra🐐 (1.1M Posts)

2. #CumminsOnRocky (911K Posts)

3. #GreatestEver (890K Posts)

4. Pat Cummins (185K Posts)

5. Bradman vs Rocky (94.1K Posts)

...

Fox Cricket (Australia) - Live Studio Panel

Host: Mark Howard

Guests: Shane Watson, Mark Waugh

Mark Howard leaned over the desk, replaying the clip of Cummins on the studio monitor. "Shane, you played against Rocky in that 2014/15 summer. Pat Cummins just explicitly labeled him as the greatest batter he's ever seen—ahead of even Tendulkar, Ponting, Kohli and even Sir Donald Bradman. Is Pat on the mark here?"

Shane Watson nodded intently, adjusting his jacket. "Absolutely, Howie. Pat doesn't throw words like 'greatest ever' around lightly. Rocky came into international cricket in late 2013, faced the absolute fastest bowling attacks on the hardest pitches in South Africa, England and Australia, and dominated from day one. When the current Australian captain—a man who has won a World Test Championship—says you're the absolute pinnacle, the debate is pretty much settled."

Sky Sports Cricket (UK) - Debate Segment

The famous duo, Michael Atherton & Nasser Hussain

"Nasser, Pat Cummins basically admitted he dreams of Rocky Rudra playing for Australia," Atherton chuckled, adjusting his notes. "It's rare to see an Australian captain speak about an Indian batter with such candid admiration."

Nasser Hussain smiled, resting his elbows on the desk. "It's because Rocky transcended rivalry years ago, Athers. When a player scores runs everywhere–Adelaide, Perth, Lord's, Durban, Wankhede, Ahmedabad—with that level of authority across thirteen years, even your fiercest rivals can do nothing but applaud. Pat spoke with absolute honesty today."

...

SEPTEMBER 2026

X (TWITTER) REACTION:

@AussieCric_Central

Pat Cummins calling Rocky Rudra the greatest batter ever is huge! Coming from the guy who has bowled to Abd, Root, Smith, Williamson, and Kohli... this carries massive weight. Absolute respect #Cummins #RockyRudra

@Rudra_Kingdom_11 ✅

"To me, he's definitely the greatest ever." — Pat Cummins. 🐐🔥

No PR, no sugarcoating, just pure facts from the World Test Champion captain! The GOAT debate is officially closed! 🇮🇳👑

@Kohli_Loyalist_18

Lol. Cummins is just hyping him up because Rocky has dominated Aussie bowlers since 2014 BGT. Virat and Tendulkar built the foundation, don't forget that! 🙄

└─ reply @Rudra_Vault

Cry more! Rocky averaged 92 in Australia across three separate tours. Cummins literally admitted Rocky was an absolute menace from 2014! Your idolo recent BGT tour was enough to put amongst the worst batter to ever play lol. Accept reality already! 😂🔥

@SWA_Cricket

Imagine an opening pair of Travis Head and Rocky Rudra in ODIs... 💀 Opposing bowlers wouldn't even bother showing up to the stadium. Pure carnage! 🇦🇺💥

@CricketSamrat_IN

The way Cummins chuckled when asked about India tells you everything! He was like "It's obvious isn't it?" 🤣🤣 The fear Rocky instilled in that 2014 BGT still resides in their minds! They even ignored the recent BGT trauma lol!Don't change @IAmRockyRudra ✅

@UK_Cricket_Daily

Atherton and Nasser discussing the Cummins interview right now on Sky Sports. Even English legends agree that Rocky's longevity from 2013 to 2026 makes him unique in modern cricket history.

@Mahi_Way_07

Cummins saying "No offense to Sir Donald and Sachin..." shows how careful he had to be, but deep down every modern fast bowler knows Rocky Rudra on modern difficult pitches is an absolute nightmare to bowl to. 👑

____

Back to present.

The UAE leg of IPL 2014 had concluded with a seismic shift in the power rankings.

By crushing the undefeated Kings XI Punjab by 86 runs, RCB hadn't just taken the top spot, they had created a statistical dominance over the entire tournament.

THE UPDATED STANDINGS (POST-UAE LEG)

1. RCB: M-5 W-4 L-1 Pts-8 NRR: +3.985

2. KXIP: M-5 W-4 L-1 Pts-8 NRR: +0.940

3. CSK: M-5 W-4 L-1 Pts-8 NRR: +0.710

...

Note: RCB's NRR of +3.985 was the highest ever recorded in IPL history after 5 games.

___

The Twitter Timeline: April 28, 2014

@mufaddal_vohra ✅: "RCB finishes the UAE leg at the top! 🔝Decimated DD, MI, RR, and now the unbeaten KXIP.Rocky Rudra: 94(39). Starc: 3/19. Chahal: 3/24.

This isn't a team. It's a juggernaut. The Wolf has officially conquered the desert. 🐺🏜️ #IPL2014 #RCBvKXIP @IAmRockyRudra✅"

u/Namma_Challenger [r/RCB]: "It wasn't about the century. It was about the 2 points." The mentality of this 19-year-old kid is terrifying. Imagine being 94* and thinking about pitch grip. We are truly blessed. 🔴🙌#EeSalaCupNamde

@SagarSarcasm: Image of Rocky Rudra giving Mitchell Johnson a send-offJohnson: "I'm a World Cup winner." Rudra: "I'm the guy who sent you to the parking lot. Now go fetch your ball." 💀🔥 #RockyRudra #Savage

@Vicky_RCB_Forever: "4 wins out of 5 in UAE! Who said we only win at Chinnaswamy? This team is SCARY. 🦁🔥 #PlayBold"

@KXIP_Singh: "Hurts to lose the streak, but Bailey played a captain's knock. We just couldn't handle Rudra's start. 17 runs in the first over set the tone. We'll get them back in India! #KXIP 🦁💪"

@CricCrazyJohns: "RCB's NRR is +3.985. To put that in perspective, they could lose their next three games by 50 runs and still probably have the best NRR in the league. Absolute dominance. 📈"

u/Podu_Yellove: "CSK is 4-1, Punjab is 4-1, but I've never been more scared of a 4-1 team in my life. Rudra and Kohli at Chinnaswamy is a nightmare scenario for every bowler. 🟡😨"

@MI_Updates: "Chahal 3 wickets. Rudra 94 runs. Both were former MI players. Someone please delete our 2014 auction tapes. I can't take the pain anymore. 💔"

@GabbbarSingh: Rocky Rudra saying "Ee Sala Cup Namde" is the most confident a Bangalore player has sounded since Mallya bought his first private jet. The boy means business. 🐺👑

u/CricketGuru_Odia: "The Wolf has found his pack." - Virat Kohli. The brotherhood between these two is the best thing to happen to Indian cricket. Cuttack is ready to welcome the hero back to India! 🌪️🦁

@Zomato ✅:

Punjab's middle order today: 📉

Rudra's strike rate: 🚀

Our delivery speed: 🍕

Everything is moving too fast tonight! #IPL2014 @IAmRockyRudra ✅

@SriniMama16: "Starc cleaning up Johnson with a yorker is the most 'Australia on Australia' crime I've seen. Rudra's chirping from short cover is pure entertainment. @IAmRockyRudra ✅ 😂"

@HarshaBhogle_Fan: "He read the conditions better than anyone." - George Bailey. That's the highest praise a teenager can get. He's not just a hitter. He's a student of the game. ✨

u/Tactical_Analyst: "People will talk about the 94, but Rudra's catch to dismiss both Big Show & Axar was the turning point. That sprint and slide showed the hunger. He's fielding like a prime Ponting."

@RR_HallaBol: "Watching RCB beat KXIP by 86 runs makes our 119-run loss feel slightly more respectable. Slightly. 😭"

@Daredevils_Fam: "Is it too late to restart the tournament and not pick RCB in our group? Asking for a friend. #DD #Nightmare"

@TheCricketGeek: "RCB's NRR is insane mfs... I repeat, THREE POINT NINE EIGHT. They could lose the next 3 games and still stay in the top 2. Madness. 📈"

@Sunny_G_Tweets: "Punjab were table toppers until they met the Wolf. Rudra 94(39) is the innings of the tournament so far considering the pitch. Sorry Maxwell, there's a new showman in town."

@DrunkenShastriFans: "He's leading a hunt." Harsha Bhogle on the mic perfectly describing Rudra. That catch to dismiss Axar was pure adrenaline.

@ZintaKiPati: "Tough night for our boys. Bailey fought alone but 233 was just impossible. RCB are peaking too early? Hope so. 💔 #KXIP"

@ViratGang: "Did you see Kohli pointing at Rudra after the final wicket? The chemistry between these two is the reason for this 4-1 record. #PackOfWolves"

@IPL_Universe: "Dubai International Stadium or the Rudra-Gayle Storm center? 233/5 is the statement of the season. India leg, watch out! 🇮🇳✈️"

@BangaloreBoy_94: "That Starc yorker to Johnson... chef's kiss. The Dubai lights really suited our pace attack tonight. #StarcistheBest"

@Cricket_Analyst: "Yuzi Chahal is the unsung hero. 3/24 while everyone was talking about the 233 total. He and rest of the bowlers also worked hard. Let's not ignore them."

@TeamIndia_2015: "Can we get Rocky Rudra into the World Cup squad already? 94 off 39 against a top-tier attack is no joke. #FutureStar"

@FunnyCricketMemes: "Mitchell Johnson looking for the ball in the Dubai parking lot like... 🚗🔎 [Insert Image of Rudra pointing] #IPL2014"

@AnushkaSharma_FC: "The energy in the RCB camp is something else this year. Kohli looks so happy with Rudra. What a win! 86 runs is a slaughter."

@TheRealAB: Rudra didn't even care about the century. "It's about the 2 points." This mentality is why RCB is winning this year. #Focus #Rudra

@RCB_Champions: "Current Table: RCB (8 pts, +3.98 NRR). Is the trophy finally coming to Bengaluru? 🏆 #EeSalaCupNamde (early 2014 vibes!)"

@Troll_Official:

(Meme: Mitchell Johnson looking at his broken stump)

Johnson: "I thought he said go find the ball."

Starc: "Go find your dignity first, mate." #RCBvKXIP

u/Bangalore_Life: "CHINNASWAMY ARE YOU READY?! The Wolf is coming home. The Chinnaswamy boundaries are going to be a bloodbath. RIP the windows around the stadium! 🏟️💥"

@TheReal_Punter: "Watching Rudra at mid-wicket gives me such 2003 vibes. The intensity, the talk, the constant movement. India has found a gem. 🇦🇺🤝🇮🇳"

@EeSalaCupNamde_Bot:

"NRR: +3.985.

ORANGE CAP: ROCKY RUDRA.

VIBE: IMMACULATE.

HOTEL: TRIVAGO. 🐺🔴"

@RCBFAM_UAE: "The desert leg ends. The UAE was just the appetizer. The main course starts in India. 19-year-old Rocky Rudra is currently the most feared man in world cricket. #RockyRudra @IAmRockyRudra✅🌙🐺👊"

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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 💎:)