One afternoon at WDCA, Abhay was lounging in the changing area, his kit bag resting beside him as he waited for the driver to arrive after training. His pads were already off, shoes loosened, his posture relaxed in a way that suggested the day's work was done.
At that moment, Abhimanyu Singhania, the Under-14 coach, and a former Ranji player for Delhi, walked over to him.
"Ready to go home, tiger?" Abhimanyu asked with an easy smile.
Abhay looked up and smiled back.
In just nine months, he had become something of a favorite among the coaches. Whether it was batting, bowling, or fielding, they all liked him. He was exceptionally talented, yes, but more than that, he was calm, consistent, and highly technical. He didn't panic under pressure, didn't chase unnecessary glory, and almost always played within himself.
Those kinds of players were rare.
Since his family visited the academy often, Abhay's nickname, tiger, had spread naturally. He didn't mind it. It was just another part of life now.
Abhay nodded.
Abhimanyu continued, his tone turning a bit more serious. "Rest well for the next few days. I wanted to let you know, you'll be playing in this season of the DDCA league."
Abhay straightened slightly, attention sharpening.
"It'll be tough for you to get selected for the Delhi Under-14 team this season," Abhimanyu added honestly. "Your age works against you. But this league will put you on their radar. If you perform well this season and repeat it in the next one, your selection is practically guaranteed."
Abhay's smile widened just a little.
"Okay, Coach," he said simply. "I'll be the best out there. Don't worry."
For Abhay, this was genuinely good news.
When he had joined the academy and begun training with the Under-14 batch, the season had already been underway. There had been no chance for him to participate then. And even if he had been there earlier, it was unlikely that selectors would have picked a ten-year-old for an Under-14 league, no matter how talented.
Now, things were different.
He was about to turn eleven in just a week, and the league matches were scheduled to begin in mid-January 2011. This time, he could participate properly.
Still, Abhay was realistic.
Participation was one thing, selection was another.
Cricket obsession in India was at its peak. Talented kids were everywhere. Academies were overflowing with prodigies. No matter how impressive he looked in academy nets, if he faltered even once, selectors wouldn't hesitate to look elsewhere.
At this level, age mattered.
Selectors preferred safer bets, boys who fit the physical profile, who looked ready on paper as well as on the field. Once Abhay turned twelve and grew a bit more, attitudes would naturally change. But that would only happen if he performed consistently across both league seasons.
That was fine.
Abhay didn't mind waiting another year.
He was confident in himself.
One more year, and his selection into the Delhi Under-14 team would be almost certain. Once that door opened, higher levels would follow naturally. Perform well in North Zone matches, and the path to Inter-Zone cricket would open too.
~~~
The New Year and Abhay's birthday passed quietly.
There was no big party, no grand celebration, just a small family gathering, warm food, and familiar faces. That suited him just fine. What mattered far more to him was the year itself.
2011.
A year that would change Indian cricket forever.
India would win the World Cup this year.
That thought alone was enough to keep him excited. He had already spoken to his father and made one request very clear, tickets for the World Cup final at Wankhede Stadium. His father had laughed at his seriousness but promised him that the moment ticket bookings opened, he would secure them.
In his last life, Abhay had wanted to watch the final live as well. Back then, they were too late. And they weren't rich enough to pull strings at the last moment.
He had ended up watching the match in their home theatre instead. It had been special, but it had also left behind a regret.
This time, he would be there in the stadium.
That thought led him down a strange, quieter path of reflection.
If his family had this much influence and financial stability, didn't that mean they could live a far easier life than most? And more importantly, didn't power matter just as much as talent?
He remembered what had happened to Virat Kohli in his last life. The way the "king" had been pushed aside, removed from his throne despite everything he had done. Abhay couldn't help but wonder, if he reached that height someday, could the same thing happen to him?
What if skill wasn't enough?
That question lingered.
Slowly, a solution formed in his mind, not immediate, not reckless, but something to consider for the future. If influence mattered, then connections mattered. And if connections mattered, then politics couldn't be ignored.
The name that came to mind was Amit Shah and by connection Narendra Modi, the future PM of India.
Abhay didn't particularly like the man or his work. But facts were facts, his son, Jay Shah, would later become the secretary of the BCCI. That kind of proximity to power wasn't something to dismiss lightly. (ICC President after the world cup, he doesn't know.)
He decided to act before the 2014 elections, using his brother's help.
It wasn't that he didn't trust his father, but his father was rigid when it came to such matters. His brother, on the other hand, was far more flexible, more pragmatic. And in the future, the business would pass to him anyway.
Abhay quietly noted it down in his mental book of things to do.
Then he pushed the thought aside.
For now, cricket came first.
~~~
A week before the start of the season, the DDCA League 2011 squad was announced.
Ashnir Sehrawat (Opener) (C)Kabir Malhotra (Opener)Daksh Nehra (Top Order)Abhay Khanna (All Rounder)Rohan Gahlot (VC) (Wicket Keeper)Ishaan Khurana (All Rounder)Paramvir Tyagi (Spinner)Aditya Chawala (Spinner)Manav Dagar (Pacer)Yuvraj Bhasin (Pacer)Vihan Junega (Pacer)Mayank Aggarwal (Spinner)Jayant Mishra (Spinner)Kabir Saini (Top Order)Vishwajeet Tripathi (Pacer)
Abhay had played with all of them over the months since he had been pushed into the Under-14 batch. He got along well with everyone. Despite being clearly talented, sometimes overwhelmingly so, he was polite, calm, and always smiling.
That mattered.
Teams didn't just need skill; they needed harmony and Abhay never gave anyone a reason to develop an attitude problem.
Most of the players were 13 or 14 years old.
Abhay, at 11, was the youngest in the squad.
The captain, Ashnir Sehrawat, was the oldest. He would turn 15 during the season, but since he had been 14 before the cutoff date, he was eligible to play. Ashnir had represented the Delhi Under-14 team in the earlier year, though the team hadn't performed well.
After that season, many of the players from that squad were moved up to Under-16 or left the academy altogether.
Ashnir stayed as Coach Abhimanyu had personally asked him to captain the new Under-14 side.
That was one of the advantages of elite academies like WDCA. Since they trained multiple age groups, they had the flexibility to retain players, shift them strategically, and build balanced squads across seasons.
As Abhay looked at the team list, he felt a quiet sense of anticipation as this was his first real step beyond the academy.
~~~
The first match of WDCA's season was against Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy, better known as LB Shastri Academy.
It was a name that carried weight.
The academy was famous for producing players like Gautam Gambhir, who was a sensation in Indian cricket at the time, and Amit Mishra, the leg-spinner known for his guile and consistency. That reputation defined LBSA's identity. They were known for producing solid top-order batsmen and quality spinners, players who understood patience and control.
The match was scheduled for 20 January 2011, a Thursday, and was held at Shivaji College Ground.
It was a ground with a personality of its own.
The pitch was dry and hard, offering very little grass. As the day wore on, it was expected to slow further. It was the kind of surface where spinners thrived and where pacers who bowled into the pitch, using cutters, shorter lengths, and slower balls were rewarded.
Because of that, WDCA went in with a clear plan.
They played three spinners and two pacers, keeping the attack flexible. Abhay was slotted in as the sixth bowling option, a role he was more than capable of handling given his control and understanding of match situations.
The ground itself was mostly empty.
It was a weekday, after all. Only a handful of parents had managed to take time off to watch the match. Abhay had insisted that his dadi stay home. The match would stretch from morning to evening, and he didn't want her standing around for hours without proper rest.
She had protested, of course. But this time, Abhay had won.
Soon, both teams gathered near the pitch for the toss.
Ashnir Sehrawat, captain of WDCA, walked out alongside Rajat, the LBSA captain. The coin was flipped, caught, and slapped onto the back of Rajat's hand.
Rajat won the toss.
After a brief look at the pitch and the outfield, he made his decision.
LB Shastri Academy would bat first.
Players began taking their positions as the opening batters walked out, and Abhay adjusted his cap near the boundary, eyes already fixed on the pitch.
The season had begun.
~
LB Shastri Academy began their innings with confidence.
The pitch at Shivaji College Ground behaved exactly as expected, hard underneath, a little slow off the surface, rewarding patience more than brute force. LBSA's openers played cautiously at first, respecting the new ball, then gradually began to open up once the shine faded.
The early overs belonged to the batters.
WDCA's pacers kept things tight but couldn't force a breakthrough immediately. The first wicket finally came in the eighth over, caught in the deep off a mistimed pull. That slowed things down, but LBSA rebuilt steadily.
Abhay was introduced into the attack midway through the innings.
He began with a simple plan. Back of a length at a slightly slower pace. Make the batters hit into the pitch.
The results were immediate.
He bowled his first spell without fuss, conceding singles, forcing mistakes, and quietly applying pressure. The batters tried to line him up, but his variations in pace and length made timing difficult.
Abhay's Fourth Over
Ball 1: Good length, angled across. The batter pushed defensively. No run.
Ball 2: Slightly fuller. The batter drove, but mistimed it. One run.
Ball 3: Short of a length. The batter went for the pull, but the ball held up. Top edge.
The fielder at mid-wicket moved in calmly and completed the catch.
Abhay turned and walked back with a smile.
WICKET
Ball 4: Slower delivery, dipping late. The new batter blocked. No run.
Ball 5: Good length again. Played back to the bowler.
Ball 6: On the pads. Worked away for a single.
It was a quiet over with s wicket. Exactly what WDCA needed.
~
LBSA tried to accelerate after the twenty-fifth over and they succeeded in parts.
One of their middle-order batters played a short counterattacking knock, targeting the spinners and forcing WDCA to rotate the bowling. Abhay was brought back for his second spell at a crucial time.
This time, he struck twice.
One batter fell trying to manufacture a shot against the slower pace, chipping the ball straight to cover. Another was undone by a slightly quicker delivery, beaten for pace and trapped in front.
Abhay finished his spell cleanly with three wickets in hand.
By the time LBSA were bowled out, they had managed a competitive total, but not an overwhelming one.
[LBSA 195 ALL OUT]
[40 OVERS]
Abhay walked off the field quietly, wiping sweat from his forehead, aware of the figures without dwelling on them.
[ABHAY – 7 OVERS, 1 MAIDEN, 28 RUNS, 3 WICKETS]
It wasn't a spell that grabbed attention immediately. But it was the kind that the people who studied would notice.
~~~~~
{As I said, junior league matches would be faster, not many ball by ball narrations, mostly in a summarized form, once we move to a higher stage we'll have more detailed matches.}