Arjun arrived at the system space promptly the following morning. He was met by the now-familiar glow of the surroundings and a playful voice that reverberated with her typical sass.
Floating above him in a makeshift referee outfit, Sania smiled and said, "Look who's early for once."
"Hello, Trainee! Stop dragging your Lazy Legs. Get that ass moving! You have a date with pain and sweat today. If you don't want your legs to file a formal protest, don't skip or complain.
With a sigh, Arjun prepared himself.
With a whistle in hand, Sania declared, "The drill: Ten rounds of the stadium." 1000 repetitions of the single-foot and double-foot ladder drills follow. And meet me at the nets after you've finished acting like a dying goat.
The whistle blew. Purposefully, the air became sharp.
Arjun persevered, slogging through each lap and repetition despite the pain. His calves were scorched. Heaved his lungs. But he continued because of the pressure of expectation, both his own and Sania's.
He stood in front of the practice nets hours later, soaked but no pain anymore as it feels like magic, that's the power of space training ground
Playfully, Sania's voice boomed from above. "You made some good shots yesterday evening.
Outstanding for a novice. So, how about we add some spice? The pitch today is a little tougher and drier. We'll see how you respond to spin and bounce.
The bowling machine sprang to life. A taunting off-spin was the first delivery to drift in.
Arjun moved too quickly and too far forward. The ball slipped by him like a robber in the night as his bat lacked speed.
"Are you playing cricket or doing Garba?" Half-laughing, half-mocking, Sania's voice echoed.
Embarrassed, he grimaced.
The subsequent deliveries did not improve. inside the edges. ill-timed footwork. unsteady equilibrium. A combination of near-falls and awkward lunges.
His shirt was stuck to him by the end of the session, not from perspiration but from annoyance.
He muttered, looking at the pitch as if it had deceived him, "I thought I knew how to bat."
Sania, now wearing umpire robes, appeared next to him and said, "You do." "Like a courageous young child learning to walk—on a freeway."
Strangely, her words ignited a fire within him, even though they hurt.
Grinning, she threw him a bottle of glucose water. "At last! Ballet makes you look less like a goat.
"I'm going to have nightmares about my toes," he muttered as he chugged it.
But the real challenge awaited the following day...
The pitch appeared cracked, dry, and cruel, as if it had aged ten years in a single night. A paradise for spinners. A batter's worst nightmare.
The machine unleashed devil-designed deliveries today. Arjun was attacked by a left-arm spinner who turned sharply. The ball twisted erratically, biting off the surface like a snake.
Too late, too wide, he danced down awkwardly.
He staggered back after a vicious ball smashed his thigh pad.
Through gritted teeth, Arjun muttered, "Not dancing… dying."
With a glowing halo over her head, Sania appeared to be floating in an angelic pose from the sidelines.
"My poor darling," she crooned with a disproportionate amount of pity. "Are you having trouble already?"
He didn't answer. He simply gazed at his bruised ego and palms.
At last, he said, "I thought I was good." "I was someone back home—Jubilee Ground, the rooftops. In Nawabganj, a king. However, over here.
Sania's voice abruptly became serious as she answered, "You were a king in the jungle." "But you're in the city of lions now."
Between them, silence descended.
"Do you believe I'm even talented enough for this?" Quietly, Arjun inquired. "Why do I feel like I'm useless?"
Sania didn't tease for once. She stared him in the eye while crossing her arms.
"For a moment, let's assume that you lack the talent," she said coolly. "Is that sufficient justification to give up?"
He didn't respond. However, the expression in his eyes said no.
With a softer tone, she stated, "Cricket isn't easy." You've only been in serious training for six days. Even after years of training, many athletes never reach their full potential. I thought you had the mental fortitude to persevere. Where is that boy now?
Arjun bit his lip and declared, "I'm still here." It's simply I was well-liked for my game in Nawabganj in my previous life. And I feel like I'm at zero again right now.
Sania sighed deeply.
She clarified, "You were a power hitter in that life." You were solely dependent on your instincts and physical strength. However, I'm teaching you how to be a full-fledged batsman here. Someone who plays with grace, technique, and yes, power, but only when necessary. It takes time to make that change.
She gestured toward his arms.
"This level is new to your body. Yes, the "Iron Body" method was helpful, but you still need to eat, rest, and develop. It will take a minimum of two to three months for your body to match your goals.
There was still a hint of doubt in his eyes as he nodded slowly.
Her voice was softer than ever as she took a step forward.
"You don't need to consider everything at once. Just concentrate on today. Play, train, and do your best. Let me handle the rest. You will one day fulfill this dream, I assure you. Not alone.
No bouncer could match the force of that final line.
Something warm blossomed in Arjun's chest for the first time in both of his lives.
Not aspiration. Not arrogance.
A sense of belonging.
He gave Sania a silent nod before turning to leave the room, bruised and battered but no longer alone.