54 Chapter 54

[Virat's POV]

As I watched my friend Vipin's incredible performance, I felt a mixture of emotions. On one hand, I was overjoyed to see him achieve his dream of scoring his first century in front of a roaring Indian crowd. His hard work and dedication had paid off, and he had shown the world what he was capable of.

But on the other hand, I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. I had my own cricketing aspirations, and seeing Vipin achieve such a milestone made me realise just how far I had to go to reach my own goals.

As Vipin removed his helmet and acknowledged the crowd's cheers, I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to achieve such a feat. To score a century in front of thousands of people - it was the stuff of dreams. But I knew that I couldn't let my jealousy consume me. If I wanted to follow in Vipin's footsteps, I had to redouble my efforts and work tirelessly to improve my skills.

I made a silent promise to myself that day - I would use Vipin's success as inspiration to become the best cricketer I could be. I would work harder, train longer, and never give up on my own dream of playing for India. As I cheered for my friend and watched him bask in the glory of his century, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Who knows, maybe one day I too will be walking off the pitch to thunderous applause.

[Mother's POV]

As I witnessed my child hit the ball out of the park, my heart swelled with pride and joy. Growing up in India, cricket was always more than just a game. It was a symbol of hope and opportunity, a chance for young boys to rise above their circumstances and make their dreams a reality.

And here, in this moment, my child was doing just that. He had worked tirelessly to perfect his game, spending endless hours in the blazing sun, practicing his shots until they were second nature. And now, he had scored a century - a feat that would make any Indian parent proud.

But even in my moment of triumph, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. My husband, who had always been my child's biggest supporter, was no longer with us. He had passed away before he could see our son's talent blossom into something truly extraordinary.

As I wiped away tears from my eyes, I knew that my husband's spirit was with us. He had always encouraged our child to pursue his passion for cricket, and I could almost hear his voice cheering our son on from somewhere above.

And so, as the crowd roared with applause, I felt a sense of gratitude and hope. Gratitude for the love and support that had brought us to this moment, and hope for a future in which my child would continue to make us proud - and in which my husband's legacy would live on through his unwavering belief in our son's abilities.

This century was not just a milestone for my child, but a testament to the strength and resilience of our family, and the unbreakable bonds that tie us together.

[Vipin's POV]

With the roar of the crowd ringing in my ears, I watched in amazement as the ball soared over the boundary for my century. It was a moment that every cricket player in India dreams of, and I felt an indescribable surge of joy and triumph coursing through me.

Raising my bat high in the air, I basked in the applause of the fans and my teammates, feeling a sense of achievement that I had worked so hard to attain. This was not just any century, but my first ODI century, and the manner in which I had achieved it left me buzzing with excitement. In just one over, I had unleashed a flurry of boundaries, sending the ball flying past the fielders and towards the cheering spectators.

Removing my helmet, I walked down the pitch to exchange handshakes with Bajji, savouring the moment of immense pride and gratitude for representing my country at the highest level. It was a surreal experience, one that I would never forget.

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Our score was 205 for 8, and I had contributed 100 runs with just 62 deliveries. "Paaji, please try to play the ball and give me a strike. Let's only run when the ball is far enough. I can't seem to run fast, so please don't run me out," I said to Harbhajan.

"If you're in pain, you can try and get retired hurt. You don't need to push yourself. We have more than 9 overs left, and I will try to score as much as possible. Anything above 240 will be fine," Bajji replied, concerned about my health.

I pointed towards the dugout and said to Bajji, "Do you see Rahul Dravid there? If he finds out that I came got out of the hotel even after he denied me, I don't know what will happen to me. Although I haven't been here for long, I know none of you will come forward to help me."

"Whatever suits your palette, man. But let me know if you feel like going back," Bajji said to me.

I nodded, and we both went back to finish the innings. It took three balls before I got the strike back. While on the non-striking end, I rubbed my stomach and let out some gas, which relieved some pressure.

The previous three deliveries had been nothing short of outstanding, and I knew that the bowler was going to come at me with everything he had on the fourth delivery.

The bowler delivered a full ball outside the off-stump, and I leaned into it, striking it hard through the covers. The ball raced towards the boundary and hit the ropes for an impressive boundary.

As I composed myself for the fifth delivery, the bowler ran in, and I noticed that he was attempting to bowl a yorker. Thinking quickly, I adjusted my stance and managed to get my bat down in time to keep the ball out. The ball trickled towards the fielder at point, and I took off for a quick single.

Arriving at the other end, I took a deep breath and stole a glance at the scoreboard. Our score had progressed to 211, and we had only two wickets in hand.