The Melbourne Cricket Ground is one of cricket's largest venues. To stand at the centre of the MCG is to face a large crowd and a wide outfield.
On Sunday evening, more than eighty-five thousand fans had filled the stands. India had already secured a place in the semi-finals of the ICC T20 World Cup. But for Indian captain Siddanth Deva, the group match against Zimbabwe was still useful preparation.
At the centre of the pitch, Deva stood opposite Craig Ervine, the Zimbabwean captain.
The match referee handed the coin to Ervine.
"Tails," Ervine called.
The coin landed on the grass.
"It is heads," the referee confirmed.
Harsha Bhogle stepped forward with the microphone.
"Siddanth, you have won the toss at the MCG. India are already through to the semi-finals. What is the call?"
"We are going to bat first, Harsha," Deva said.
"Batting first under the lights gives you a chance to set a total. Does qualifying change the team's approach, and are there any changes to the XI?"
"The approach does not change," Deva replied. "Every match gives us a chance to improve. We want to carry momentum into the semi-finals. On this ground, running between the wickets is important, so we want to test the batting group against a large outfield."
Deva looked toward the camera.
"The XI is unchanged from Adelaide."
Ervine confirmed his side, and the captains shook hands.
In the commentary box, the decision was discussed.
"Siddanth Deva has chosen to bat first," Nasser Hussain said. "The MCG has long square boundaries, so India will need to run well and find the gaps."
"Sanju Samson keeps his place at the top of the order after his innings against Bangladesh," Ian Smith added. "The focus will also be on Rohit Sharma, who needs runs after a difficult start to the tournament."
The Indian dressing-room doors opened.
Sanju Samson and Rohit Sharma walked toward the middle.
Richard Ngarava took the new ball.
Rohit Sharma took guard.
Ngarava pitched the first over up and found some movement. Rohit played away from his body and survived the over.
In the second over, Blessing Muzarabani hit a hard length and got extra bounce.
Rohit tried to pull a short delivery but was late on the shot. The top edge went toward deep square leg.
The fielder settled underneath it and took the catch.
Rohit was out.
"Rohit Sharma is gone!" Ian Smith called. "Muzarabani gets the extra bounce, and Rohit picks out deep square leg."
Rohit walked back having scored 3 runs.
Inside the Indian dugout, Deva watched the dismissal.
The numbers from the previous matches were still part of the selection discussion. Rohit's footwork against the moving ball had been an issue, and his scoring rate had put pressure on the powerplay.
But Deva also had to consider the ODI side.
The following year, India would host the ICC ODI World Cup. Rohit remained one of India's established ODI openers, and Deva did not want a T20 selection decision to affect the team's ODI combination.
There was no replacement in the squad with the same experience at the top of the ODI order.
Deva decided to keep backing him.
Virat Kohli walked past the dugout before taking guard.
"Build the innings, Virat," Deva said.
Kohli nodded and walked out.
The crowd responded as Kohli took guard.
Kohli and Samson began the rebuild.
Ngarava bowled full, and Kohli drove through cover for four.
At the other end, Sanju used the crease against Muzarabani. When the pacer bowled short, Sanju moved onto the back foot and pulled through square leg.
The pair rotated the strike and ran hard.
Kohli then attacked the spinners. He came down the pitch to Sikandar Raza and lofted the ball over extra cover.
In the 10th over, Kohli again came down the pitch against Sean Williams. He tried to hit over long-off but got the lower half of the bat.
Ryan Burl ran across and held the catch.
"Kohli is out in the deep!" Nasser Hussain said. "He was looking to increase the scoring rate but did not get enough on the shot."
Kohli walked back after scoring 24 runs.
Deva was listed at number four, but he chose not to walk out.
He looked toward Suryakumar Yadav.
"SKY" Deva called.
SKY looked up.
"Yes, skip?"
"You're in. I want you to bat through the middle overs. Do not worry about the fielders on the boundary. Find the gaps and keep the scoring rate up."
SKY nodded and picked up his helmet.
He walked out.
The commentary box reacted.
"That is Suryakumar Yadav coming in ahead of Siddanth Deva!" Ian Smith said. "The Indian captain is holding himself back."
"India have already qualified, so Deva is using the match to give SKY more time in the middle," Harsha Bhogle explained. "It is a chance to test the middle order before the semi-final."
SKY took guard.
He attacked from the start.
Against Ngarava's wide yorkers, he moved across the crease and opened the face through backward point.
When the bowlers followed him onto the pads, he used his wrists to pick up runs through square leg and fine leg.
He also used the lap and sweep against the spinners.
Sanju kept the strike moving.
SKY reached his fifty from 21 balls.
In the 17th over, he tried to clear extra cover against Muzarabani but mistimed the slower ball.
The catch was taken on the boundary.
He finished on 61 from 25 balls.
India moved to 155 for 3.
Two overs remained.
Deva again stood in the dugout with his bat.
Hardik Pandya was next in the order.
"Go finish it, Hardik," Deva said. "Use the remaining deliveries and attack."
Hardik walked out.
Deva stayed back.
In the commentary box, Nasser Hussain noted the decision.
"Deva is holding himself back again. He is giving Hardik the chance to bat in the death overs before the semi-final."
At the other end, Sanju was on 78.
He had built the partnerships with Kohli and SKY. Now he increased the scoring rate.
In the 19th over, he stepped down to Luke Jongwe and lofted him over long-off for six.
Two balls later, he cut a short delivery past point for four.
Sanju moved to 94.
Richard Ngarava bowled the final over.
The second delivery was a short ball.
Sanju moved onto the back foot and pulled it over deep mid-wicket.
Six.
The MCG crowd rose.
"Sanju Samson reaches his hundred!" Harsha Bhogle called. "What an innings from the opener."
Sanju removed his helmet and raised his bat.
He looked toward the Indian dugout.
Deva stood and applauded.
Sanju finished the innings unbeaten on 103 from 59 balls.
Hardik remained unbeaten at the other end.
India finished on 214 for 4.
---
Zimbabwe needed 215 to win.
Wesley Madhevere and Craig Ervine opened the chase.
Deva set an attacking field.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar took the new ball and attacked the stumps with swing.
In his second over, he drew Madhevere into a drive. The outside edge carried to Virat Kohli at first slip.
Madhevere was out.
Arshdeep Singh attacked from the other end.
He trapped Regis Chakabva LBW with one that came back into the pads.
Soon after, Sean Williams was bowled by a yorker.
Zimbabwe reached 36 for 3 after the powerplay.
Mohammed Shami entered the attack.
He bowled a heavy length and used the bounce of the MCG pitch.
Sikandar Raza attempted a pull and was caught in the deep by Suryakumar Yadav.
The required run rate continued to rise.
Deva brought Ravichandran Ashwin into the attack.
Ashwin varied his pace and used the large square boundaries to defend the scoring areas.
He picked up three wickets and moved through the lower order.
In the 17th over, Ashwin bowled a carrom ball to Richard Ngarava. The ball beat the outside edge and hit the off stump.
Zimbabwe were bowled out for 115.
India won by 99 runs.
The Indian players shook hands with the Zimbabwe team before leaving the field.
Inside the dressing room, the players changed out of their playing gear and settled down.
Deva stood in the middle of the room and clapped twice.
The room became quiet.
He looked at Sanju, whose Man of the Match award was beside his locker.
"Sanju, that was an excellent T20 innings. You gave us a start, built partnerships, and finished the innings. Good batting."
The players applauded.
Deva turned toward Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya.
"Surya, Hardik, you used the platform well. You kept the scoring rate up and gave us runs in the middle and death overs."
He paused.
"The group stage is over. Now we reset."
Deva looked around the room.
"In four days, we play England in the semi-final at Adelaide. They will attack from the start. Our job is to match that intent with our skills. Bowl in the right areas, field well, and use the conditions."
He looked toward Kohli, Rohit, and the fast bowlers.
"The semi-final is next. We prepare for it from tomorrow."
The players nodded.
The group stage was finished.
Adelaide was next.
---
The silence of a hotel room after a World Cup match was very different from the noise of the stadium.
For four hours, Siddanth Deva had been at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, surrounded by the crowd, the sound of bat on ball, and the demands of international cricket.
Now, sitting in his hotel suite, the only sound was the air conditioning.
The clock read 11:45 PM.
Deva wore grey track pants and a black T-shirt. His India jersey was in a laundry bag. His kitbags were packed near the door for the morning flight to South Australia.
Deva picked up his Nexus tablet from the desk. He opened his contacts and selected Krithika.
The call connected.
Krithika appeared on the screen from the Shamshabad farmhouse.
"You look exhausted," she said.
"I feel like I've been running in wet sand for three weeks," Deva replied. "But we got the job done. The group stage is finished."
"You did more than get the job done, Sid. We watched the match. Sanju's century was excellent. The way he handled the short ball was very good."
"I am proud of him," Deva said. "He justified the decision to move him to the top of the order. He built the innings and then increased the scoring rate."
"And Surya?"
Deva laughed.
"Nobody understands Surya. Not even Surya."
Krithika laughed.
"I told him to attack, and he did exactly that. It gave the middle order time in the middle before Adelaide."
"Adelaide," Krithika said.
"England," Deva replied.
"Are you ready?"
"We will be. They play aggressive white-ball cricket. Buttler and Hales will attack in the powerplay. We have our plans. We need to bowl in our areas, hold our fields, and field well."
Before she could reply, movement appeared behind her.
"NANA!"
The tablet shook.
Aadhya grabbed it and brought her face close to the camera.
"Hey, little monster," Deva said, smiling. "Move back. I cannot see you."
"I am not a monster, Nana. I am a rider."
"A rider? What are you riding?"
"A pony!"
Deva looked toward Krithika.
"Thatha took us to the farm," Aadhya continued. "There was a brown pony. I rode it."
"You rode a pony? Did Thatha hold the rope?"
"No!"
Aadhya put her hands on her hips.
"I rode it myself. The pony went fast. I told it to go, and it went."
She began moving around the room as if she were riding.
"I used one hand, Nana. I told it who was the boss."
Deva looked at Krithika.
"Please tell me she was not riding a horse one-handed."
"It was a small pony," Krithika said, laughing. "The handler was beside her the whole time."
"I was riding!" Aadhya protested.
Deva smiled.
"Alright. You were riding."
Aadhya pointed at the screen.
"Nana, come home now."
"I wish I could. I have two more matches here. I have to try to win the World Cup. Remember?"
Aadhya thought for a moment.
"Okay. Win the cup. Then come home. Then we race."
"You are going to race me?"
"Yes. I will win because I am faster."
Deva laughed.
"I believe you."
Rishi then moved into the frame.
"Hi, Nana."
"Hey, buddy."
"We went there. Aadhya rode the pony."
"How was it?"
"It did not walk in a straight line."
Deva laughed.
"What did you do?"
"I rode the tractor with Thatha."
"The tractor?"
"Yes."
"Did you steer?"
"No. Thatha steered. It is not safe for me to drive. But I watched the gears."
Rishi paused.
"The tractor has large rear wheels. The tyres have deep treads."
"The treads?"
"Yes. They help it grip the wet mud."
Deva smiled.
"That is good observation."
Rishi then reached out of the frame and brought a custard apple toward the camera.
"We picked sitaphal."
"How do you select one?"
"Thatha taught me."
Rishi pointed at the fruit.
"You look at the gaps between the bumps. When they become slightly yellow and the fruit feels a little soft, it is ready. If it is hard, it is not ready. If it is too soft, it is bad."
Deva smiled.
"That is good scouting, Rishi."
Rishi smiled.
"I ate two."
"Two?"
"Thatha said farm rules are different."
Deva laughed.
"Farm rules are different. Save one for me."
"I will."
Rishi looked back at him.
"Nana, are you playing the team in red next?"
"England?"
"Yes."
"Yes. We play them in Adelaide."
Rishi thought for a moment.
"They hit the ball hard. They try to hit every ball over the boundary."
"They do."
"You have to put the fielders where they want to hit."
Deva smiled.
"I will."
"Okay."
Krithika returned to the screen.
"Alright, both of you. Dinner."
Aadhya waved.
"Goodnight, Nana. Come home and race the pony."
"Goodnight, Nana. Win the match," Rishi said.
"Goodnight, both of you."
The twins left the room.
Krithika remained on the screen.
"They miss you," she said. "They watch every match. Rishi even tries to count the fielders on the boundary."
"He will be a better captain than me one day," Deva said.
He looked at her.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm fine. The foundation work keeps me busy. Your parents are helping with the children. We are all waiting for you to come home."
She looked at his face.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"It's England in the semi-final. Are you feeling the pressure?"
Deva leaned back.
"I'm not worried," he said. "They are a good team. They attack hard. We have a good bowling attack, and we have our plans."
Krithika smiled.
"That sounds like you."
"They play hard. We play our cricket."
"Go get some sleep, Sid."
"Give the kids an extra hug for me."
"I will."
"I love you."
"I love you too."