Fame in the IPL doesn't arrive politely.
It crashes in.
---
## MORNING AFTER – BANGALORE HOTEL
Aarav woke up to his phone vibrating nonstop.
Messages.
Missed calls.
Unknown numbers.
He stared at the ceiling for a full ten seconds before reaching for it.
That was new.
Last night, he'd slept like someone who had done his job and left quietly.
This morning felt different.
This morning felt watched.
---
## THE HEADLINE SHIFT
He finally opened one message link.
> *"RCB's New Number 3 Shows Spine Under Fire"*
> *"Malhotra's 58: Technique Over Hype"*
> *"From India A to IPL Anchor – Aarav's Arrival"*
Arrival.
That word sat heavy.
Arrivals invited expectations.
Expectations didn't ask permission.
---
## BREAKFAST – THE CHANGE IN AIR
The breakfast room buzzed.
Not loud.
Focused.
Players nodded at him differently now.
Not curious.
Acknowledging.
Ross Taylor grinned.
"Guess we won't be sharing the quiet corner anymore."
Aarav smiled faintly.
Across the room, Kumble was already studying match footage on a tablet.
This league didn't pause for praise.
---
## COACHING MEETING – REALITY CHECK
The batting coach didn't waste time.
"They'll bowl differently now," he said, clicking through clips.
"More cutters. Back-of-a-length traps. Wide yorkers."
The screen froze on Aarav's dismissal.
"Your strength," the coach continued, "is patience. Don't let them take that from you."
Aarav nodded.
Inside, something else stirred.
*How long before patience is called slow?*
---
## SYSTEM INTERRUPTION
As if answering him, the interface appeared.
> **ATTENTION SURGE DETECTED**
> Public perception trending upward
> Suggested upgrade: Aggression Bias +12%
Aarav dismissed it.
Again.
The system had started pushing.
And that worried him more than fast bowling.
---
## PRACTICE SESSION – NOT EVERYTHING IS SEEN
At nets, Aarav didn't hit big.
He worked on late cuts.
Soft hands.
Dead bats.
A few cameramen lingered.
They left soon enough.
No drama meant no footage.
Good.
---
## PHONE CALL – AN OLD FRIEND
Later that afternoon, his childhood friend Rohan called.
"You still remember that tennis-ball tournament behind the school?"
Aarav laughed.
"Where I got out first ball?"
"And cried like the world ended," Rohan said.
They both laughed harder than necessary.
That memory steadied him.
Because fame erased history if you let it.
---
## MATCHDAY 2 – RCB VS RR
Jaipur.
Dry pitch.
Slower surface.
RCB batted first again.
This time, Aarav was marked.
Fielders moved before the ball was bowled.
He noticed.
Everyone did.
---
## THE WAIT
RCB lost two quick wickets again.
But this time, the crowd didn't panic.
They waited.
That scared him more.
---
## WALKING OUT – EXPECTATION IS LOUDER THAN BOOS
The announcer's voice rose.
"Aarav Malhotra…"
The cheer wasn't hopeful.
It was demanding.
Aarav tightened his gloves.
Expectation, he realized, didn't clap for effort.
Only outcome.
---
## FIRST TEN BALLS – A DIFFERENT TEST
Bowling was sharp.
No freebies.
Every ball asked a question.
Aarav answered quietly.
Singles.
Soft deflections.
No risks.
The crowd murmured.
Some impatience crept in.
---
## SCORE UPDATE
RCB: **54/2 (7 overs)**
Aarav: **12 (10 balls)**
Not explosive.
But intact.
---
## THE TEMPTATION MOMENT
Over 8.
A short ball sat up.
The kind that made highlights.
The system flashed instantly.
> **OPTIMAL SHOT: PULL – 72% BOUNDARY PROBABILITY**
Aarav froze.
For half a second.
Then let it go.
The ball passed harmlessly.
A loud groan followed.
He exhaled slowly.
That decision mattered more than the shot.
---
## MID-OVERS – PRESSURE BUILDING
Spin tightened.
Dot balls increased.
The crowd grew restless again.
Someone whistled sharply.
Aarav felt irritation rise.
He stepped away.
Adjusted his gloves.
Looked at the sightscreen.
Reset.
---
## RELEASE – BUT MEASURED
Over 11.
Flighted delivery.
Aarav stepped forward.
Not to slog.
To drive.
Straight.
Clean.
Grounded.
**FOUR.**
No celebration.
Just acknowledgment.
---
## PARTNERSHIP BUILD
With Kohli at the other end, the tempo changed.
Quick singles.
Sharp calls.
"YES, NO, WAIT."
A rhythm formed.
Not flashy.
Functional.
---
## SCORE UPDATE
RCB: **112/2 (14 overs)**
Aarav: **33 (28 balls)**
The commentators started debating.
"Is he too cautious?"
Aarav couldn't hear them.
But he could feel the question hanging in the air.
---
## THE TURNING POINT
Over 15.
Slower ball misjudged.
Aarav stayed back.
Late cut.
Threaded the gap.
**FOUR.**
Next ball—same length.
This time, he went aerial.
Inside-out over cover.
**SIX.**
The crowd rose in relief.
Not joy.
Relief.
---
## DISMISSAL – AGAIN, A STATEMENT
Over 17.
Attempted scoop.
Fine edge.
Caught behind.
Aarav stood still.
Bat under arm.
Then walked.
Score: **47 (33 balls)**
Not a fifty.
But not failure.
---
## FINAL TOTAL
RCB: **176/6**
Defendable.
Again.
---
## RESULT
RCB won by **9 runs**.
Nervy.
Ugly.
Effective.
---
## DRESSING ROOM – THE REAL FEEDBACK
Kohli slapped Aarav's back.
"You absorbed everything," he said.
"That's rare here."
Kumble nodded.
"Teams are planning for you now."
That sentence stayed.
---
## NIGHT – QUIET THOUGHTS
Back in the room, Aarav sat by the window.
City lights blurred.
He opened the system once more.
> **STATUS UPDATE:**
> Threat level from opposition: INCREASING
> Media pressure index: RISING
> Suggested evolution path: POWER ACCELERATION
Aarav closed it.
Hard.
For the first time.
---
## FINAL LINE OF THE CHAPTER
He wrote in his notebook again.
> *Today, they didn't cheer for me.*
> *They waited for me.*
And that, Aarav realized,
was far more dangerous than silence.
---
**END OF CHAPTER 91**