The Mecca of Cricket. Lord's.
There is a specific hush that descends over St John's Wood when a major tournament arrives. The air was cool, carrying the scent of cut grass and expensive champagne. It was June 12, 2009. The Super 8 stage of the ICC World Twenty20.
India vs. West Indies.
The defending champions are against the most unpredictable, dangerous team in the format.
In the commentary box, the glass windows offered a panoramic view of the sloping green outfield and the packed stands, a sea of Indian blue and Caribbean maroon.
"Good afternoon from the Home of Cricket!" David 'Bumble' Lloyd's voice chirped with infectious energy. "It doesn't get bigger than this. The Super 8s are underway, and we have a cracker. India, looking to defend their crown, against the power-hitters of the West Indies. I'm joined by the former Indian captain, Ravi Shastri. Ravi, the atmosphere is electric!"
"Absolutely, Bumble," Ravi Shastri boomed. "There's a buzz here that you only get at Lord's. India has been professional so far, topping their group. But the West Indies? They are the sleeping giants. Gayle, Bravo, Pollard. If they wake up, no ground is big enough."
Down in the middle, the two captains stood ready for the toss. MS Dhoni, cool as the English weather, and Chris Gayle, wearing his trademark bandana and sunglasses, looking like he was at a beach party rather than a cricket match.
The Toss
The coin went up. It landed in favor of the West Indies.
Gayle flashed a grin. "We'll have a bowl, man. The pitch has a bit of moisture. We'll try to use it early and chase whatever they put up."
Dhoni nodded, unfazed. "We would have bowled first too, but it's a good wicket. We need to put runs on the board. The strategy remains the same."
Dhoni's Team Sheet:
1. G. Gambhir, 2. R. Sharma, 3. S. Deva, 4. Y. Singh, 5. S. Raina, 6. MS Dhoni (c/wk), 7. Y. Pathan, 8. I. Pathan, 9. Harbhajan Singh, 10. Z. Khan, 11. P. Ojha.
The First Innings
The Indian openers, Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma, walked out through the Long Room, the members applauding politely. Fidel Edwards, the West Indian pacer with the slingshot action, marked his run-up.
"Fidel Edwards to start proceedings," Ian Bishop announced on commentary. "He's got pace, he's got that skiddy trajectory. Rohit Sharma on strike."
Over 2:
Rohit looked nervous.
Ball 5: Edwards went full. Rohit tried to flick it over mid-wicket, a shot born of impatience. He was early. The ball took the leading edge and looped to cover.
WICKET 1: Rohit Sharma c. Simmons b. Edwards 5.
India: 12 for 1 (1.2 Overs).
"Oh, dear," Bishop sighed. "That is a soft dismissal. Rohit will be kicking himself. India loses an early one, and that brings the young sensation to the crease."
Siddanth Deva walked down the pavilion steps. The slope of Lord's felt significant under his feet. He looked at the scoreboard. 12 for 1.
He met Gambhir in the middle.
"Ball is skidding," Gambhir said, tapping the pitch. "Edwards is quick. Watch the late swing."
Siddanth took his guard. Stabilize. Don't let them dictate.
It was a struggle. The West Indian bowlers—Edwards, Jerome Taylor, and Dwayne Bravo—bowled a disciplined line.
Gambhir tried to break the shackles in the 4th over. He stepped out to Taylor, tried to cut, and edged it to the keeper.
WICKET 2: G. Gambhir c. Ramdin b. Taylor 14.
India: 27 for 2.
Suresh Raina came in. He lasted six balls before trying to hoist Bravo over mid-on and mistiming it.
WICKET 3: S. Raina c. Pollard b. Bravo 5.
MS Dhoni walked in at number 5. The captain.
He tried to construct an innings, but the West Indies were swarming. Lendl Simmons bowled a tight line. In the 9th over, Dhoni tried to run a ball down to third man, got a faint edge, and was gone.
WICKET 4: MS Dhoni c. Ramdin b. Simmons 11.
India: 66 for 4 (8.5 Overs).
The Indian fans at Lord's were silent. The flags were lowered.
Yuvraj Singh walked out to join Siddanth.
Siddanth had been watching the carnage from the other end.
"India is in deep trouble," Shastri said, his voice grave. "66 for 4. They are staring down the barrel. They need a partnership, and they need it now.
"Yuvi-pa," Siddanth said, his voice calm. "We don't hit. Not yet. We rotate. We take it to the 15th over. If we have wickets in hand, we can explode. But if we lose one now, we're done."
Yuvraj nodded, his face serious. "Right. Singles. Twos."
For the next six overs, they played sensible, risk-free cricket.
Siddanth used his Sleight of Hand to work the spinners, Suleiman Benn and Chris Gayle, into the gaps. He didn't look for boundaries. He looked for twos.
He turned gentle pushes into dangerous runs, pressuring the fielders.
They added 48 runs in 6 overs without hitting a single six.
India: 114 for 4 (16 Overs).
Siddanth was on 45. Yuvraj was on 28.
"They've stopped the bleeding," Bumble noted. "But 114? They need 160 to challenge this West Indies lineup. They need a massive finish. Can the youngster provide it?"
Over 17: Dwayne Bravo
Siddanth took guard.
Ball 1: Bravo bowled a slower ball. Siddanth waited. He stepped out and hit it straight back over the sightscreen.
SIX.
"Hello!" Harsha Bhogle exclaimed. "Where has that been hiding? Deva shifts gears instantly! That has gone into the media center!"
Ball 2: Bravo went wide. Siddanth shuffled across, changing his grip.
He played a reverse-scoop over third man.
FOUR.
He took a single on the last ball to keep the strike.
Over 17: Fidel Edwards
Pace on.
Siddanth was on strike.
Ball 1: 145kph yorker. Siddanth opened the face and sliced it between backward point and short third man. FOUR.
Ball 2: Bouncer. Siddanth swiveled. The pull shot sailed over square leg. SIX.
Ball 3: Edwards rattled. He bowled a full toss. Siddanth smashed it through covers. FOUR.
Ball 6: Siddanth pushed to long-on and sprinted. He turned for the second. He dove. He made it.
Over 18: Suleiman Benn
The tall spinner.
Siddanth switched his stance. He stood as a left-hander.
Ball 2: Benn fired it in. Siddanth, batting lefty, slog-swept him over mid-wicket.
SIX.
"Oh, stop it!" Nasser Hussain yelled. "That is outrageous! He is batting left-handed at Lord's against a spinner and depositing him into the Tavern Stand! This boy has no respect for tradition!"
Ball 3: Siddanth stepped out. Inside-out drive over cover. FOUR.
Ball 6: Single. Strike retained.
Over 19: Jerome Taylor
Siddanth was on 65.
Yuvraj had barely faced a ball. He just watched, leaning on his bat, grinning.
Ball 1: Taylor went for the blockhole.
Siddanth walked across his stumps. He exposed all three. He scooped it from outside off-stump over fine leg.
SIX.
"He is playing video games!" Bishop cried. "Jerome Taylor is one of the fastest bowlers in the world, and Deva is scooping him like he's playing in his backyard! This is mad!"
Ball 2: Full and wide. Siddanth slashed. FOUR.
Ball 3: Siddanth hit to deep mid-wicket. He ran one. He ran two. He wanted the strike. He sent Yuvraj back.
Strike retained.
Over 20: Dwayne Bravo
Siddanth was on 77.
He had scored 51 runs in the last 18 balls.
Ball 1: Bravo bowled wide. Siddanth reached out and slapped it over cover. SIX.
Ball 2: Siddanth tried to ramp. Missed. Dot.
Ball 3: Single. Yuvraj on strike.
Yuvraj hit a single.
Ball 5: Siddanth on strike.
Bravo bowled a perfect yorker. Siddanth dug it out. Dot.
Ball 6: Siddanth smashed it to long-off. Four.
India finished on 182 for 4.
Siddanth Deva: 85 not out (41 balls).
In the last 4 overs: 59 runs off 21 balls.
Yuvraj Singh: 35 not out (Played only 3 balls in the last 4 overs).
The Lord's crowd stood up. The Indian dressing room was buzzing. From 60/4 to 180/4. It was a miracle.
The Second Innings
183 to win.
Chris Gayle and Andre Fletcher walked out.
Gayle looked angry.
Dhoni tossed the ball to Zaheer Khan.
"Swing it, Zak."
Zaheer bowled a tight first over. 4 runs.
Over 2: Siddanth Deva.
Siddanth marked his run-up. The Lord's slope was tricky for bowlers, but his "Wind Reader" skill helped him adjust.
Ball 1: Andre Fletcher on strike.
Siddanth bowled 145kph. Shaping away. Fletcher swung and missed.
Ball 2: Siddanth went fuller. Fletcher tried to drive. Inside edge onto pads.
Ball 3: "The Javelin". 148kph.
Siddanth bowled a cross-seam delivery. It hit the deck and skidded.
Fletcher tried to pull. He was late. The ball hurried onto him.
Top edge.
The ball went straight up in the air.
Siddanth called it. "MINE!"
He ran down the pitch and took a comfortable catch.
WICKET 1: Andre Fletcher c & b Deva 2.
"And he does it with the ball!" Shastri roared. "You cannot keep him out of the game! Fletcher rushed by the pace! India has the breakthrough!"
Chris Gayle fell cheaply to Ishant Sharma in the 5th over.
WI: 40 for 2.
But then came the partnership. Dwayne Bravo and Lendl Simmons.
They were dangerous. They attacked the spinners. Harbhajan went for 12 in an over. Ojha went for 15.
Simmons was pulling. Bravo was driving.
They put on 80 runs in 8 overs.
The score moved to 120 for 2 in 14 overs.
61 needed off 36 balls. The game was slipping away.
Dhoni looked at Siddanth.
"Sid. Over 15. Break this. Bravo is the key. He's hitting straight."
Siddanth took the ball. He looked at the field.
He walked to Dhoni.
"Mahi-bhai, move mid-off back to long-off. Bring fine-leg up. And put a man at short extra-cover."
Dhoni frowned, but nodded. "Okay. What's the plan?"
"I'm going to bowl the slower ball wide. He'll try to drag it."
Dhoni moved the fielders. Rohit Sharma went to short extra-cover.
Bravo watched, tapping his bat. He thought Siddanth was going to bowl fast and wide.
Ball 1: Siddanth ran in.
Bravo prepared for 145kph. He cleared his front leg, ready to smash it down the ground.
Siddanth released the ball. He cut his fingers down the side. An off-cutter.
115kph.
And he bowled it wide.
Bravo was committed to the shot. He reached for it. He tried to drag-flick it over mid-wicket.
But the ball gripped the pitch. It slowed down even more.
Bravo checked his shot.
The ball lobbed off the toe end of the bat.
It floated gently to the left.
Rohit Sharma at short extra-cover took two steps and swallowed the catch.
WICKET 2: D. Bravo c. Rohit b. Deva 45.
"GENIUS!" Bishop shouted, sounding heartbroken but impressed. "That is pure tactical genius! He set the field, he bowled the ball to the field, and Bravo fell into the trap! The young man has out-thought his opponent! That is the game right there!"
With the partnership broken, West Indies panicked.
Kieron Pollard came in and was run out by Yuvraj.
Simmons fell to Zaheer.
The equation became impossible.
20 runs needed off the last over.
Dhoni tossed the ball to Siddanth.
"Close it out."
Siddanth bowled to Denesh Ramdin.
Ball 1: Yorker. Single.
Ball 2: Slower ball. Dot.
Ball 3: 150kph Bouncer. Ramdin fended it. Dot.
Ball 4: Wide Yorker. Single.
Ball 5: Suleiman Benn on strike. Tailender.
Siddanth didn't show mercy.
152kph. Middle stump.
The stump cartwheeled towards the keeper.
WICKET 3: S. Benn b. Deva 4.
"The furniture is disturbed again!" Lloyd cheered. "Too fast, too straight! Siddanth Deva puts the final nail in the coffin!"
West Indies finished on 172 for 8.
India Won by 8 runs.
Siddanth finished with 4 overs, 28 runs, 3 wickets.
The Presentation
The Lord's pavilion was lit up. The Indian fans were singing Vande Mataram.
Nasser Hussain stood with the microphone.
Hussain: "A fantastic game of cricket at the Home of Cricket. And the Man of the Match... for an incredible 85 off 41 balls and 3 crucial wickets... Siddanth Deva!"
Siddanth walked up. The applause was respectful and loud.
Hussain: "Siddanth, you are making a habit of this. 60 for 4, and you turned the game on its head. That assault in the last four overs... talk us through it."
Siddanth smiled. "We knew the wicket was good. When we lost early wickets, Yuvi-pa and I decided to just stay there. We knew if we had wickets in hand in the last five, we could score 60-70 runs. The plan worked."
Hussain: "And the bowling? That slower ball to Bravo. You moved the field just before that. Was that the plan?"
"Yes. Bravo is a strong hitter down the ground. I wanted him to reach for it and hit against the spin of the cutter. Rohit took a good catch."
Hussain: "How confident are you of defending the title?"
"We take it one game at a time. But this team... we believe. We believe we can win from anywhere."
Hussain: "Well played, young man. A performance Lord's will remember."
Siddanth walked back to his team. Dhoni patted his back.
"Good field placement," Dhoni said. "That was smart."
"Learned from the best," Siddanth grinned.
As they walked into the Long Room, Siddanth looked at the Honors Board. He hadn't scored a Test century or taken 5 wickets in a Test yet, so his name wasn't there.
Not yet, he thought. But one day.
For now, he was the hero of Lord's in T20. And the World Cup was within reach.