The fireworks finally stopped exploding over the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. A thick cloud of white smoke drifted slowly across the night sky, carrying the smell of gunpowder.
Down on the grass, the presentation ceremony was over. The television cameras moved to the side. The formal part of the evening was officially done. Now, the real celebration began.
The stadium security guards opened the gates near the boundary rope. They allowed the families of the players to walk onto the field.
Siddanth stood near the pitch, talking to Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Trent Boult. He held the heavy gold IPL trophy by one handle. He saw a group of people walking toward him from the pavilion.
It was his core circle.
Arjun, Sameer, and Feroz walked in front. Behind them came Krithika and her sister Anjali.
Sameer did not walk normally. He sprinted the last twenty yards. He threw his arms wide open, completely ignoring the fact that Siddanth was covered in sweat and spilled champagne, and tackled him in a massive hug.
"Back to back!" Sameer yelled loudly, slapping Siddanth on the back. "You actually did it! We own this city!"
Siddanth laughed, trying to keep a grip on the trophy so it wouldn't drop. "Get off me. You are going to break the cup."
Feroz and Arjun walked up and hugged him next.
"Great match, Sid," Arjun said, pushing his glasses up his nose.
Siddanth looked past his friends. Krithika practically jogged toward him, still wearing her orange jacket and holding her team flag. Her voice was completely hoarse from cheering, but she was beaming with absolute pride.
Siddanth handed the heavy gold trophy to Sameer. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Krithika, pulling her into a tight hug. She hugged him back, resting her head against his shoulder.
"Congratulations, Captain," Krithika said with a hoarse voice from all the scremaing.
"Thank you," Siddanth replied, stepping back. He looked at Anjali, who was holding her phone and recording everything. "Did you enjoy the game, Anju?"
"It was amazing!" Anjali cheered. "The crowd was so loud when you came out to bat!"
"Let's get a picture," Feroz suggested, taking out his phone.
Sameer stood in the middle, holding the IPL trophy up high. Siddanth and Krithika stood on his right. Arjun, Feroz, and Anjali stood on his left. They all smiled for the camera.
While they were looking at the photo, a voice called out from behind them.
"Siddanth!"
Siddanth turned around. Kalanithi Maran, the owner of the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise, was walking toward them. He was accompanied by his wife and his daughter, Kavya. They were all smiling broadly.
Siddanth immediately stepped forward to greet them.
"Congratulations, sir," Siddanth said, shaking Kalanithi Maran's hand.
"No, Siddanth. Congratulations to you," Kalanithi Maran replied warmly. "What a season. What a final. You have given this city so much joy. Defending a title is never easy, but you made it look effortless today."
Kavya Maran walked up and shook his hand. "Thank you for the win, Siddanth. The team played brilliantly."
"The boys did all the hard work," Siddanth said.
Kalanithi Maran looked at Krithika standing nearby. He offered a polite smile. "And this must be Krithika. Congratulations to you both on your marriage. I couldn't come because of my hectic schedule. We are very happy for you."
"Thank you, sir," Krithika said, nodding respectfully.
"Let us take a photograph together," Kalanithi Maran suggested to the group.
Sameer handed the trophy back to Siddanth. Siddanth stood in the center, holding the base of the cup. Krithika stood next to him. The Maran family stood on the other side. The official team photographer ran over and snapped several pictures of the franchise owners with their captain and his wife.
After a few minutes of conversation, the owners walked away to congratulate the rest of the players.
"Alright, boys!" Tom Moody shouted from the edge of the pitch. "Bring the trophy! It is time for the lap!"
Siddanth looked at Krithika. "Wait for me near the dugout. I will be right back."
Krithika nodded and walked toward the boundary with Anjali and the boys.
Siddanth took the trophy and walked over to his team. The entire squad, the coaches, the net bowlers, and the support staff gathered together.
David Warner grabbed a large Sunrisers Hyderabad flag. Shikhar Dhawan grabbed another one.
"Let's go," Siddanth said.
They started walking slowly around the perimeter of the field. The fans in the lower stands pushed against the fences, cheering and waving. The players waved back, pointing to the crowd and holding the trophy up high.
They walked past the North Stand. The crowd cheered. They walked past the East Stand.
As they approached the South Pavilion, the noise in the stadium suddenly shifted. It stopped being a random collection of cheers and shouts. The crowd organized themselves.
A heavy, rhythmic chant started to build in the upper tiers. It spread down to the lower seats. Within seconds, thirty thousand people were chanting the same word over and over again, stomping their feet on the concrete to create a beat.
"BAAHU-BALI! BAAHU-BALI! BAAHU-BALI!"
The chant echoed across the entire stadium.
David Warner looked at Siddanth and laughed. "They are giving you the movie treatment again, mate!"
Siddanth smiled. He stopped walking. He looked up at the massive stands, raised his right hand high into the air, and waved to them.
The crowd roared louder, seeing him acknowledge the chant.
Up in the stadium DJ booth, the sound engineer saw the crowd's reaction. He decided to play along with the mood. He decided to play something much more local, much more festive, and highly relevant to Siddanth's personal life.
A loud, fast-paced drumbeat blasted out of the stadium speakers.
It was a very famous, very old Telugu dance song. Pelli Kala Vachesinde Bala. A song entirely about wedding. The original movie starred Victory Venkatesh.
The crowd recognized the song instantly. They started whistling and clapping to the fast beat.
Siddanth heard the song. He laughed out loud. He knew exactly what the DJ was doing.
Siddanth looked up at the VIP corporate boxes above the pavilion. He saw the large glass window where his guests were sitting.
He saw Victory Venkatesh standing right near the glass, clapping his hands to his own song and smiling down at the team.
Siddanth handed the IPL trophy to Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Siddanth looked directly up at Venkatesh in the VIP box. He pointed a finger at the actor. Then, right there on the grass, in front of the entire stadium, Siddanth started to dance.
He didn't just jump around. He did the exact, signature hook step from the original movie. He put his hands on his hips, moved his shoulders to the beat, and did the fast footwork.
The stadium went completely crazy.
The camera operators on the field instantly turned their lenses on Siddanth. His dancing face appeared on the giant digital screens in the stadium.
Up in the VIP box, Venkatesh burst into loud laughter. He didn't just watch. He stepped back from the glass, gave himself some room, and started doing the same dance step in the box.
The television director was brilliant. He split the giant screen into two halves. On one side, it showed Siddanth Deva dancing on the grass. On the other side, it showed Victory Venkatesh dancing in the VIP box.
Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, and Gopichand, standing next to Venkatesh, started clapping to the beat, laughing uncontrollably at the interaction. S.S. Rajamouli was smiling widely, enjoying the pure entertainment.
Down on the field, Siddanth stopped dancing and turned to his teammates.
"Come on!" Siddanth yelled over the loud music.
David Warner ran over. "Teach me the step, mate! What do I do?"
"Hands on your hips," Siddanth instructed loudly. "Move your shoulders left and right. Step forward. It is simple."
Warner tried it. He lacked the smooth rhythm of a dancer, but he made up for it with energy. He started jumping left and right, doing a very aggressive, very Australian version of the dance step.
Shikhar Dhawan ran in and joined them, doing his own mix of Bhangra and local dance.
Siddanth reached out and grabbed Kane Williamson by the arm. The New Zealand captain was standing at the back of the group, smiling politely and clapping his hands.
"No, Sid, please," Williamson protested softly, trying to pull his arm back with a nervous smile. "I cannot dance. I have no rhythm."
"You don't need rhythm, Kane. Just move your feet," Siddanth laughed, pulling him into the center of the circle.
Williamson stood there awkwardly for a second. Then, he put his hands on his hips and did a very slow, very polite, extremely stiff version of the shoulder shrug.
The crowd cheered for him anyway.
Siddanth pulled Ben Cutting and young Arjun Tendulkar into the circle. He grabbed Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was notoriously shy, and forced him to dance to the wedding song.
The DJ in the booth saw the players enjoying themselves. Instead of letting the song end, he looped the track, playing the chorus over and over again.
They danced on the grass for five straight minutes. They didn't care about looking professional. They were just a group of guys celebrating the end of a very long, very tiring two-month tournament.
Eventually, the music faded out.
Siddanth stopped dancing, breathing heavily. He wiped sweat from his forehead.
"I am more tired now than I was during the match," Warner panted, resting his hands on his knees.
"Let's just sit for a minute," Siddanth suggested.
He didn't walk back to the dugout. He just sat down right there on the outfield grass, near the boundary rope.
Warner sat down next to him. Kane Williamson sat on the grass. Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvi, and the rest of the team followed. They formed a large circle on the grass, sitting under the stadium lights, looking at the fans who were still cheering for them.
They just wanted the home fans to enjoy the show. They wanted to share the moment with the city.
A few minutes later, the families of the players walked onto the field to join them.
Candice Warner walked over with her two young daughters. Little Ivy Warner ran across the grass toward her father.
David Warner picked her up and sat her on his lap.
Siddanth smiled at the young girl. He reached into his pocket. During the presentation ceremony, the organizers had handed out small, golden winner's medals to all the players. Siddanth pulled his medal out.
He leaned over and placed the heavy gold medal around Ivy's neck.
Ivy looked down at the shiny medal. She grabbed it with her small hands, smiling happily.
"Look at that, Ivy," Warner smiled. "You got a medal."
Ivy turned her attention to Siddanth. She noticed the bright orange SRH cap sitting on his head. She reached out with both hands and grabbed the brim of the cap, pulling it right off his head.
"Hey," Siddanth laughed, letting her take it.
She put the oversized cap on her own head. It covered half her face. Siddanth and Warner laughed.
They sat on the grass for another twenty minutes. They talked, played with the kids, and pointed at the empty stands as the crowd slowly began to leave the stadium. The noise finally started to die down. The night became quiet.
"Alright, boys," Tom Moody said, walking over to the group sitting on the grass. "Time to go inside. The hotel is waiting. We have a party to get to."
The players stood up. They stretched their tired legs and walked back toward the pavilion tunnel.
Siddanth walked into the dressing room. The room was messy with kit bags, towels, and empty water bottles. He went to his locker. He unzipped his bag and pulled out a fresh, clean orange Sunrisers Hyderabad jersey. He took off his sweaty match shirt, put on the clean jersey, and sprayed some cologne.
He grabbed his phone from his bag.
"I am going up to the VIP box for ten minutes," Siddanth told Rahul, who was waiting near the door. "Tell the bus driver to wait."
"Yes, Boss," Rahul said.
Siddanth walked out of the dressing room, bypassed the press area, and took the private elevator up to the corporate levels.
He walked down the carpeted hallway and opened the glass door to the second VIP box.
The guests inside turned around.
"The Champion arrives!" Victory Venkatesh shouted loudly, walking forward with a wide smile.
Siddanth smiled and hugged the veteran actor. "Thank you for coming, sir. And thank you for dancing with me."
"Your steps were perfect," Venkatesh laughed, patting his shoulder. "I had to join in. The crowd loved it."
Prabhas walked over next. He pulled Siddanth into a massive bear hug. "Darling! What a match! Your fast bowlers completely destroyed them in the first innings."
"It was a good pitch to bat on," Siddanth said modestly.
S.S. Rajamouli stepped forward and shook his hand firmly. "Clinical performance, Siddanth. You controlled the game from the first ball. It was a pleasure to watch."
"Thank you, sir," Siddanth replied. He looked at Rana Daggubati. "Did you enjoy the game, Rana?"
"Loved it," Rana grinned. "Especially your entrance when batting."
Sushanth Singh Rajput stood near the back, holding a glass of water. He walked forward and shook Siddanth's hand.
"Congratulations, Siddanth," Sushanth said respectfully. "Five IPL titles. It is an incredible achievement."
"Thank you, Sushanth. I appreciate you taking the time to fly down here," Siddanth said.
Anirudh Ravichander, the music director, walked over. "The stadium DJ needs a raise, Sid. Playing the wedding song right after the Baahubali chant was perfect timing."
"It was," Siddanth agreed.
Siddanth spent ten minutes talking to the actors and directors. They discussed the match, the atmosphere, and briefly touched upon their upcoming movie project. Siddanth promised to meet them properly after the celebrations were over.
He said his goodbyes and left the box.
He walked down the hallway to the fourth VIP box.
He opened the door and walked inside.
Krithika was standing near the front window, talking to Anjali. Riya, Kavya, and the rest of the college group were sitting on the sofas.
When Siddanth walked in, the college girls immediately stopped talking. They stood up quickly, looking incredibly starstruck.
Krithika turned around, giving him a proud, enthusiastic thumbs-up from across the room.
Siddanth walked over to the group. He smiled politely. "Hello, everyone. Did you enjoy the match?"
The girls nodded frantically.
"It was amazing, sir," Spoorthy managed to say, her voice slightly nervous. "Your entrance to the Baahubali music was incredible."
"Thank you," Siddanth said. "I am glad you had fun."
"Can we... can we take a picture with you?" Jyothi asked hesitantly, holding her phone.
"Of course," Siddanth agreed easily.
He stood in the center. The college girls quickly gathered around him. Anjali stood next to him. Krithika took the phone and backed up to take the picture.
"Smile," Krithika said, snapping the photo.
She handed the phone back. The girls thanked him repeatedly, thrilled to have a picture with the national captain.
Siddanth then turned to Riya and Kavya, Krithika's best friends.
"How was the view from up here?" he asked them.
"Perfect," Riya said. "We didn't have to deal with the crowds, and the food was great. Congratulations on the win, Sid."
"Thank you." Siddanth looked at Krithika. "I have to get back to the team bus. We are going to the hotel for the party. Are you coming?"
Krithika shook her head. "No. It is a team party. You go enjoy with your players. We are going to drive back home. I will see you tomorrow."
"Drive safe," Siddanth said.
He left the VIP box, took the elevator back down to the ground floor, and walked out to the parking area. The team bus was idling, waiting for him. He climbed on board, taking his seat near the front. The bus pulled out of the stadium and drove through the empty city streets toward the ITC Kakatiya hotel.
The hotel lobby was quiet when they arrived, but the team had booked a large banquet hall on the ground floor for their private celebration.
Siddanth walked into the banquet hall. Loud music was playing. The hotel staff had arranged a massive buffet dinner and a bar in the corner.
The players were already relaxed. They had changed into casual clothes.
Siddanth grabbed a plate of food and sat down at a round table. David Warner walked over, holding a bottle of beer. He pulled out a chair and sat next to Siddanth.
"Good job today, Skip," Warner said, taking a sip of his beer. "We dominated the whole tournament."
"We did," Siddanth agreed, eating a piece of chicken. "The bowling unit made it easy."
Warner leaned back in his chair. He looked at Siddanth. A small, competitive smile formed on his face. The IPL was over. The franchise brotherhood was done for the year. It was time to switch back to international loyalties.
"So," Warner said casually, tapping the beer bottle on the table. "The Champions Trophy is next month."
Siddanth stopped eating. He looked at Warner. He knew exactly where the conversation was going. The 2017 ICC Champions Trophy was scheduled to be played in England. India and Australia were the two top-ranked teams in the world.
"It is," Siddanth nodded slowly.
"You know we are not going to take it easy on you guys."
"I expect nothing less, Davey," Siddanth replied smoothly. "But you know we are coming with a full-strength pace attack. Bhuvi, Bumrah, Shami. The ball swings in England."
"It swings for our bowlers too," Warner grinned. "Starc and Hazlewood are fully rested. They are ready to bowl fast."
"Let them bowl fast," Siddanth said, taking a sip of water. "I like fast bowling."
Warner laughed loudly, patting Siddanth on the back. "It is going to be a great tournament, mate. I can't wait to face you on the pitch. No orange jerseys. Just green and gold against blue."
"Get ready, Davey," Siddanth warned him playfully. "We are coming for the trophy."
The party continued for a few more hours. The players danced, ate, and talked about their plans for the off-season. Siddanth stayed until midnight, making sure everyone was having a good time.
When the clock struck twelve, he decided it was time to leave. He was incredibly tired. The physical exertion of the match and the emotional high of the victory had drained his energy.
He said goodnight to his teammates, walked out of the banquet hall, and took the elevator up to his hotel suite.
He entered his room, locked the door, and threw his bag on the floor. The room was quiet and cool.
He didn't turn on the television. He walked into the bathroom, washed his face, and brushed his teeth. He changed into a simple t-shirt and shorts.
He walked back into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the large bed.
He called upon the digital interface.
The System screen materialized in the darkness behind his eyelids. The glowing blue text appeared clearly.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Quest Complete: Win the 2017 Indian Premier League.
Evaluating Performance... Outstanding.
Siddanth watched the text scroll. He waited for the rewards. The System always rewarded him for major tournament victories.
[REWARDS GRANTED]
The screen flashed.
[Template Progress Update]
James Anderson Sync: Increased to 46% Mastery.
Siddanth nodded slightly. He remembered checking his stats after the Australia Test series earlier in the year. The grueling four-match series, where he had bowled long spells and taken fourteen wickets, had increased his Anderson template by 1%, bringing it to 41%.
Now, winning the IPL and bowling crucial, restrictive spells throughout the tournament had given him a massive 5% boost.
Forty-six percent mastery of James Anderson meant his control over swing bowling was becoming elite. He could now manipulate the seam position with much greater precision, extracting late movement both ways even on unresponsive pitches. It was exactly what he needed for the upcoming Champions Trophy in England, where swing bowling was the most important weapon.
The screen flashed again.
[Special Skill Unlocked]
Parallel Processing.
Siddanth focused on the new skill. A description box opened below it.
[Skill Description: Parallel Processing]
The host's cognitive architecture is upgraded. The host can now consciously divide their mental focus into two completely separate, independent streams of thought without experiencing cognitive fatigue or distraction. The host can analyze a complex visual problem while simultaneously formulating a verbal response to a different topic.
Siddanth processed the information. It was a very quiet, very powerful skill. It wasn't flashy like his batting syncs or his physical speed. But for a man who managed a billion-dollar tech conglomerate while simultaneously captaining a national cricket team on the field, it was invaluable.
Siddanth dismissed the System screen. The blue light faded from his mind.
He lay back on the soft pillows. He pulled the blanket over his chest. He was satisfied. He had the IPL trophy. He had new skills. He had the respect of his team.
He closed his eyes, engaged his Perfect Rhythm, and let the silence of the hotel room pull him into a deep, restful sleep. The domestic season was over. The world stage was waiting.