12th Man to Cricket Legend Chapter 2 2: The Beginning

[Ding! Binding Complete.]

[Legend Identified: Ricky Ponting.]

[Compatibility: 100% (Shared "Aggression" Trait detected).]

Rocky's heart stopped.

He slowly opened his eyes.

The man he was touching turned around.

It was the sharp jawline, the steely eyes, and the authoritative aura of the man on his bedroom poster, "Ricky Ponting."

The Australian legend looked at the 18-year-old kid's hand on his shoulder and raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Everything alright there, kid? You look like you've seen a ghost."

___

Rocky was confused.

A glowing blue screen flickered before his eyes.

[Congratulations Host! You have unlocked a Hidden Achievent: 'Accidental Destiny'.]

Below that, three titles glowed: 'The Punter's Shadow', 'Heir to the Iron Fist', and the most special one—'Guardian of the Off-Side'.

Others stats: {....}

(Stats explained in auxiliary chapters)

(A/N: Don't worry, system will disappear and these skills won't be shown much.)

___

Rocky was in shock as he read the screen.

"88 fielding?! I was just rotting away in a software office, and now I can dive like Jonty Rhodes?"

He barely had ti to process the stats before he noticed Ricky Ponting already walking away toward the practice nets.

The Australian legend paused, glancing back over his shoulder with a sharp, piercing gaze.

"Hey, kid!" Ponting barked.

"You're the new scouted talent, right? John Wright wouldn't stop talking about you. Stop daydreaming, and get over to Point. I'm going to have the boys smash a few your way. Let's see if those hands are made of gold or butter!"

The command acted like a spark.

Fueled by a sudden surge of adrenaline, Rocky took off toward the inner circle.

He forced himself not to think about the why or the how.

He didn't care if this was a hallucination, a glitch in the universe, or a dying dream from a beer-induced blackout.

If this was a dream, he wanted it to last.

He wanted to feel the leather ball in his hand and the wind in his face for as long as possible.

___

Rocky jogged toward the square of the wicket, his heart hamring against his ribs like a trapped bird.

Every step on the grass felt weirdly springy.

His 18-year-old body felt light, almost too light, like he was made of carbon fiber instead of flesh and bone.

'This isn't a dream,' he thought, the sll of freshly cut grass and leather hitting him all at once.

'A dream doesn't sll this real.'

"Left a bit, kid! Squarer!"

Ponting shouted from behind, his voice cutting through the humid Mumbai air.

Rocky adjusted, crouching low.

Suddenly, the blue screen flickered at the edge of his vision, then vanished, leaving a strange tingling sensation in his palms.

[Guardian of the Off-Side: Active]

(A/N: Won't be shown much. This is here to remind you that skills exists.)

At the crease, a massive figure was taking his stance.

It was Kieron Pollard.

The big Trinidadian didn't even look at Rocky.

He just tapped his bat on the ground, a sound like a hamr hitting a stone.

The bowler, a young net-pacer, stead in and delivered a short, wide ball.

It was a "hit-" delivery.

Pollard's eyes lit up.

He shifted his weight and unleashed a brutal square cut.

CRACK!

The sound was terrifying.

Old and washed Rocky would have ducked or blinked.

The ball was a white blur, traveling at a speed that should have been impossible to track.

But before Rocky's brain could even process "danger," his body exploded to the right.

He didn't feel like he was moving himself.

It was like a magnet was pulling his hands toward the ball.

He launched into the air, his fingers grazing the turf before his body went horizontal.

Thwack!

The sting in his webbing was sharp and hot.

He hit the ground hard, rolled, and ca up standing in one fluid motion.

The white ball was tucked firmly in his right palm.

The buzzing noise of the practice session died down. Pollard stopped his follow-through, staring.

Even Ponting, who had seen everything in world cricket, stayed silent for a heartbeat, his eyes narrowing as he adjusted his cap.

Rocky looked down at his hand, then at the legend.

The fire he had always admired in Ponting, Kohli was now reflected in his own eyes.

"Not bad," Ponting called out, his voice lower this ti, almost a growl.

"Now do it ten more tis."

=======

Please vote and give a review if you like the novel 💎

By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate :)