The Deccan Chargers tour bus wound its way through the arid landscapes of the Northern Cape, heading towards Kimberley.
Darren Lehmann sat at the front, reviewing the opposition. Rajasthan Royals. The defending champions. The team that had beaten them in the 2008 Final.
"This isn't just another game, lads," Lehmann said, turning to face the squad. "Warne will have plans. He'll try to get into your heads. Don't let him. We play our cricket."
Siddanth Deva sat with his headphones on, looking out at the diamond-mining town. Beating Rajasthan wasn't just about points; it was about exorcising the ghost of that defeat in Mumbai a year ago.
Match 6: Venue: De Beers Diamond Oval, Kimberley
Opponent: Rajasthan Royals (RR)
The stadium was small, intimate, and bathed in the stark, bright sunlight of the Highveld. The air was thin, promising the ball would travel.
Adam Gilchrist won the toss. "We'll bat," he grinned at Warne.
The First Innings
Herschelle Gibbs and Gilchrist walked out to a warm reception. Gibbs, on home soil, looked dangerous but fell early, caught at point off Munaf Patel for 8.
DC: 15 for 1.
"And out walks the young sensation," Harsha Bhogle's voice filled the commentary box. "Siddanth Deva. He has made that Number 3 spot his own. A century in New Zealand, match-winning knocks here. He is the glue of this lineup."
Siddanth marked his guard. He looked at Gilchrist.
"Warne will bring himself on early," Siddanth predicted.
"Let him come," Gilchrist replied, eyes narrowing.
They built a partnership. It wasn't frantic; it was fluid. Gilchrist was the bludgeon, pulling Munaf for six. Siddanth was the rapier, gliding balls past third man and point.
They put on 50 runs in quick time.
Gilchrist fell for a well-made 39, trying to clear long-off against Yusuf Pathan.
DC: 65 for 2.
Enter Rohit Sharma.
Siddanth and Rohit. The "Blue Colts."
This was the partnership that defined the middle overs.
Siddanth took charge. He faced Shane Warne.
Ball 1: Warne tossed it up, drifting into the pads.
Siddanth skipped down, met it on the full, and whipped it through mid-wicket. Four.
Ball 2: Warne fired it in flat.
Siddanth rocked back and cut it hard past point. Four.
"He plays Warne better than anyone in the league!" Ravi Shastri boomed. "He picks the hand! He doesn't wait for the turn! That is masterful batting from Deva!"
Siddanth scored a composed, aggressive 45 off 32 balls before holing out to deep square leg, trying to up the ante.
Rohit Sharma played a gem of a cameo, scoring 38.
But the real surprise came from Tirumalasetti Suman, the local Hyderabad talent. He walked in and blasted 41 off 20 balls, destroying the Royals' death bowling.
Dwayne Smith finished with a quick 7.
Deccan Chargers Total: 179 for 5.
It was a competitive score, but on the small Kimberley ground, no score was safe against the Royals.
The Second Innings: The Death Bowler
180 to win.
Rajasthan came out swinging. Graeme Smith and Naman Ojha attacked the new ball.
Gilchrist threw the ball to Siddanth for the first over.
Over 1:
Siddanth ran in. He kept it simple. 145kph.
Line and length. Top of the off-stump.
Graeme Smith, strong off his pads, couldn't free his arms.
Dot. Dot. Single. Single. Single. Single.
4 runs.
"What a start!" Danny Morrison yelled. "He has tied the South African captain in knots! Pace and precision!"
He came back for the 3rd Over.
Naman Ojha tried to attack. Siddanth bowled the Heavy Ball, hitting the splice.
Ojha mistimed everything.
6 runs. No boundaries.
Siddanth's first spell: 2 overs, 10 runs, 0 wickets.
He had set the tone.
But the Royals had depth. They started hitting the spinners. The game tightened.
Ojha (Pragyan) went for runs. RP Singh was expensive.
The equation boiled down.
30 runs needed off 18 balls.
Yusuf Pathan (on 30) and Ravindra Jadeja (on 20) were at the crease. Both were hitting the ball clean.
It was the danger zone.
Gilchrist tossed the ball to Siddanth.
"Finish it, Sid. The 18th and the 20th. They are yours."
Over 18
Siddanth stood at the top of his mark. Yusuf Pathan was on strike. He was a monster. He could clear the ground with a mis-hit.
Siddanth's mind engaged. Yusuf likes it in the slot. Don't give him length.
Ball 1: Siddanth ran in. 151kph. Wide yorker.
Yusuf threw his bat. Missed.
Dot.
Ball 2: Yusuf shuffled across, trying to access the leg side.
Siddanth saw the movement. He bowled the 110kph Slower Ball Yorker.
Yusuf was completely deceived. He swung early, his bat hitting the air. The ball dipped and crashed into the base of the leg stump.
WICKET 1: Yusuf Pathan b. Deva 30.
"GONE! The big fish is gone!" Shastri roared. "The change of pace! It is his signature weapon! Pathan was through the shot last week! Deva strikes under pressure!"
Ball 3: Shane Watson walked in.
Siddanth greeted him with a 148kph bouncer into the ribs. Watson fended it to the short leg. Dot.
Ball 4: Watson pushed a single to long-on.
Ball 5: Jadeja on strike. He needed a boundary.
Siddanth went round the wicket. He bowled a cutter.
Jadeja tried to cut. Edge.
Gilchrist took a sharp catch standing up.
WICKET 2: R. Jadeja c. Gilchrist b. Deva 20.
"Two in the over!" Gavaskar exclaimed. "He is tearing the heart out of the Royals' chase! This young man has ice in his veins!"
Ball 6: New batsman. Dot.
End of Over 18: 4 runs, 2 Wickets.
Equation: 26 runs needed off 12 balls.
RP Singh bowled a decent 19th over, going for 14 runs.
Equation: 12 runs needed off 6 balls.
It was close. Shane Watson was on strike.
Over 20: The Final Wall
Siddanth took the ball. The crowd was chanting "DE-VA! DE-VA!"
12 runs. Watson. Don't panic.
Ball 1: Watson on strike.
Siddanth ran in. 152kph. Wide yorker.
Watson squeezed it to the deep point.
They ran two.
10 off 5.
Ball 2: Siddanth bowled the same ball.
Watson tried to go over cover. He mistimed it. It went straight up.
Rohit Sharma at extra cover settled under it.
WICKET 3: S. Watson c. Rohit b. Deva 8.
"That is the game!" Morrison screamed. "Watson goes! Deva gets the big Australian! He has defended the indefensible!"
Ball 3: New batsman. 150kph. Yorker. Clean bowled.
WICKET 4.
Ball 4: Single.
Ball 5: Dot.
Ball 6: Dot.
Deccan Chargers Won by 9 runs.
Siddanth's Final Figures: 4 overs, 17 runs, 4 wickets.
He raised the ball to the crowd. Gilchrist hugged him.
"You're a wizard, Sid. A bloody wizard."
Match 7: Venue: Buffalo Park, East London
Opponent: Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
The team travelled to East London, a windy coastal city.
CSK was waiting. Dhoni was waiting.
This was the battle for the top of the table.
CSK won the toss and batted.
"Good pitch," Dhoni said. "We'll set a target."
The First Innings
CSK's batting lineup was formidable. Matthew Hayden, Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni.
They started well. Hayden looked ominous, smashing 40.
Siddanth was brought on as first change.
His job was containment.
He bowled a spell of high-class, back-of-a-length bowling. He didn't let the batsmen get under the ball.
Over 8: He bowled to Suresh Raina.
Raina tried to pull. Siddanth bowled the "Heavy Ball" at 145kph.
It got big on Raina. Top edge.
Siddanth took the catch himself.
WICKET 1.
CSK kept attacking. Dhoni and Albie Morkel accelerated.
Siddanth came back at the death.
Over 19:
He conceded only 6 runs against Dhoni.
On the last ball, he bowled a wide yorker. Morkel chased it and edged it to Gilly.
WICKET 2.
CSK finished on 178 for 3.
It was a massive score on this ground. Siddanth's figures of 4 overs, 18 runs, 2 wickets were a miracle of economy in a high-scoring innings.
The Second Innings
179 to win against the spin attack of Muralitharan and Jakati on a slow track.
Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs walked out.
From the first ball, it was clear: Gilly was in the zone.
He hit Ntini for a six over mid-wicket in the first over.
He hit Gony for three fours in the second over.
It was vintage Gilchrist. The high backlift, the squash-ball-in-the-glove power.
Gibbs played the perfect foil. He rotated the strike, hitting the odd boundary, letting the captain destroy the bowling.
They put on a massive partnership.
Gibbs reached his 50.
Gilchrist reached his 50 off 25 balls.
"This is carnage!" Harsha Bhogle said, his voice full of awe. "Gilchrist is turning back the clock! He is treating the CSK bowlers like club cricketers! And look at Gibbs, just enjoying the show!"
The score reached 140 for 0 in the 13th over.
Gibbs tried to hit Jakati out of the ground and was caught at long-on.
Herschelle Gibbs: 62 (44 balls).
DC: 140 for 1.
39 runs needed off 42 balls.
"And here comes Siddanth Deva," Shastri said. "Batting at number 3. But what is his role today? Does he attack? Or does he give the strike to the man on fire?"
Siddanth walked out. He tapped the pitch. He looked at Gilchrist, who was sweating, red-faced, and grinning like a maniac.
"Still seeing it well, Gilly?" Siddanth asked.
"Like a football, mate," Gilchrist laughed. "Just give me the strike. I want a hundred."
Siddanth nodded. He didn't need to be the hero. He didn't need to play the scoop or the reverse sweep. He needed to be the partner.
Siddanth faced Muralitharan.
Ball 1: Murali tossed it up. Siddanth leaned forward, soft hands, and pushed it to long-off. Single.
He gave the strike to Gilchrist.
Gilchrist smashed Murali for Six.
Next over. Balaji
Siddanth faced the first ball. He tapped it to mid-wicket. Single.
Gilchrist hit a Four.
Siddanth was playing with zero ego. He was playing for the team. He was playing for his captain.
Gilchrist moved to 80. Then 90.
The score moved to 170.
8 runs needed. Gilchrist was on 95.
Gilchrist faced Joginder Sharma.
He tried to hit the winning six to reach his century.
He didn't get all of it. He was tired.
The ball soared high... and landed in the hands of Suresh Raina at deep mid-wicket.
Adam Gilchrist: 95 (off just 50 balls).
The stadium stood up to applaud. Gilchrist walked off, raising his bat, disappointed but satisfied.
DC: 170 for 2.
8 runs needed.
Dwayne Smith walked in.
Siddanth was on strike.
He looked at the scoreboard.
8 runs to win.
Siddanth tapped the next ball for a Single.
Smith hit a Two.
Then a Four.
2 runs needed.
Siddanth on strike.
He drove the ball through the covers. The field was up.
It went for Four.
Deccan Chargers Won by 7 wickets.
Siddanth Deva: 8 (10 balls).*
Dwayne Smith: 2 (2 balls).*
After the match, Dhoni walked over.
"Sensible batting," Dhoni said quietly. "You didn't let your ego get in the way. That's rare for a 17-year-old."
"Gilly was on fire, Mahi-bhai," Siddanth shrugged. "I just had the best seat in the house."
Dhoni smiled. "Good job."
The Chargers were rolling. They were beating everyone. The "Blue Storm" was gathering force, and at its centre was a teenager who played like a veteran and bowled like a demon.