12 Months Before the Final Selection Match
The stadium was empty.
No cheers. No banners. No cameras. Just an open field and the heavy silence of what was about to begin.
At the center, a lone batsman stood still — Aryan Raj, 18, unknown, unnoticed, undisturbed.
He wasn't playing for an audience.
He was preparing for something he hadn't even been invited to yet.
A short, slow wind passed through the dusty nets behind him. He took a deep breath and tapped his bat twice — not for rhythm, but for clarity.
Media Headquarters, Mumbai — The Announcement
"Breaking News from BCCI!"
"The Bat and Ball Program is official!"
"India's search for a new cricketing core begins!"
After the official retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, India was left in mourning — and chaos. Cricket boards, fans, analysts, and ex-players panicked. There was no clear successor. No unifying force. No plan.
Until now.
The BCCI announced the most brutal and ambitious cricket initiative in Indian history:
THE BAT AND BALL PROGRAM
A full-year national cricket war — trials, tournaments, eliminations, training, and mental warfare.
50 handpicked players.
1 final national team.
Monitored by legends. Broadcast across the globe.
Bihar, 1 Month Before Selection
In a broken neighborhood in Patna, Aryan Raj continued to practice with a rubber ball and old gloves. He had no social media. No sponsorship. He didn't even own a kit.
But his game spoke differently.
In local tournaments, he was never the top scorer.
But when teams collapsed, Aryan stood.
When bowlers got aggressive, Aryan grew calmer.
When others tried to finish with sixes, Aryan finished with gaps.
His calm unnerved bowlers. His shot selection puzzled coaches. And his mind — untouched by applause or criticism — made even former players take notice.
Delhi – BCCI Video Review Room
Dozens of clips from local tournaments played on screens.
One by one, analysts dismissed players:
"Good hitter, bad attitude."
"Fast bowler but poor consistency."
"Too emotional under pressure."
Until they reached #A221 — Aryan Raj vs Delhi Colts U-19.
A quiet 63-run innings on a pitch where 8 other batsmen scored under 10. No sixes. Just flawless gaps, last-moment shot adjustments, and footwork that confused even experienced bowlers.
Virat Kohli, now a guest mentor for the program, leaned forward.
"This one… he doesn't react. He reads. Get him in."
Bat and Ball Program: Year Timeline (Classified Internal Schedule)
Months 1–2: Player scouting and regional selection
Months 3–4: Top 100 shortlisted → Top 50 announced
Months 5–7: National camps, inter-team matches, technical refinement
Month 8: Mid-program eliminations (top 30 survive)
Months 9–10: Pressure zones: public matches, media ratings, mentor involvement
Month 11: Final league (Top 15 vs International guest team)
Month 12: Squad selection, global reveal, and final stadium clash
Back in Bihar…
Aryan got the call.
A quiet "yes" from the coordinator. No emotional outburst. No screaming.
He simply walked back to the dusty field where he had trained for years — alone — and picked up his bat again.
This time, not as a nobody…
…but as Player #47 in India's greatest cricket war.
Next: Chapter 2 – The Arrival of Fifty