Author's Note:🏆
On readers' demand. I'm doing this for the first ti...
Weekly Power Stone ♦️ Goals:
150 ♦️ PS: 1 Bonus Chapter
250♦️ PS: 2 Bonus Chapters
500♦️ PS: 4 Bonus Chapters
Let's see how far we can climb this week! 🚀
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And, If you like the story, rember to give a review. It'll motivate to continue with sa passion ✌️😁
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The morning at the Wanderers broke with a crisp, golden clarity, but eight thousand kilotres away in the bustling lanes of Cuttack, the air was thick with a different kind of suffocating tension.
In a modest house tucked away in the old quarters of the city, Sujit Sir sat frozen on the very edge of his faded wooden chair. A cup of local masala tea sat entirely forgotten on the table, cold and forming a thin film over the surface.
His eyes were glued to the glowing television screen, his calloused hands clasped together so tightly that his knuckles had turned completely white.
He had watched this boy bat in the sweltering, blinding dust of the Odisha sumr since he was just a scrawny child.
Decades of coaching had taught him how to spot a once-in-a-generation gift, and he had taken Rocky under his wing with exceptionally high expectations.
Because he hadn't seen a single talented kids that could even co close to Rudra.
He even keep paying him money out of his own pocket just so the boy could focus entirely on his ga instead of thinking about going back to odd jobs.
He was the one who had fundantally rebuilt Rocky's technique, teaching him Ricky Ponting's iconic stance to maximize his explosive potential.
For reasons he couldn't explain to outsiders, Sujit Sir had always harbored a gut feeling that Punter's rigid, dominant open stance was tailor-made for Rudra, and the ongoing match in Johannesburg was proving him right.
It hadn't been an easy road. Sujit Sir had faced constant opposition from other local coaches, who viewed the aggressive Australian setup as an insult to the traditional, orthodox Indian style.
But he bore all that pressure silently, absorbing the criticism, the ridicule behind closed doors just to shield Rocky's mind from the toxicity and noises.
Of course, as an expert technician, he knew the inherent flaws of that stance. On the slow, low, and spinning tracks of Asia, Ponting's heavy forward press often left a batsman susceptible to being trapped dead in front or playing around a turning ball. He had explained it patiently to Rocky in the nets, and together, they worked to perfect it.
The result was a Ricky Ponting template, but infused with fluid, rubber-wristed Indian flair. By loosening the grip at the point of contact, Rocky could suddenly manipulate the ball through the mid-wicket region with his wrists, effectively erasing his only major technical weakness on subcontinent pitches.
Eventually, when he saw that Rocky's progress had halted in Cuttack, he didn't even hesitate for a mont.
Sujit Sir quietly used his old contacts to send the boy to Mumbai for better exposure, world-class facilities, and a chance to play against the best.
Then ca the IPL storm, and his disciple rose to instant fa. Sujit Sir was extrely happy for him, but he always called to remind Rocky to stay grounded, having witnessed far too many brilliant Indian prodigies fade into absolute obscurity due to the toxic combination of early fa, fast cars, and instant fortune.
Perfect example was Vinod Kambli.
However, all that stern composure had utterly shattered the night before when Rocky called him directly from Johannesburg, his voice trembling as he broke the news that he was in the final playing eleven for his maiden Test match against South Africa. Sujit Sir had literally jumped out of his chair, the tears flowing freely down his face.
While he was incredibly worried at first, his anxiety gradually disappeared as the innings unfolded.
Looking at the television screen on the morning of Day 2, Sujit Sir recognized that look in Rocky's eyes. It was the calm before the storm.
"Don't think about the numbers, Rocky," he whispered to the empty room. "Just play the ball."
Because throughout all those years in the dusty nets of Cuttack, he had always drilled a single, unshakeable truth into the boy's mind: Test cricket is the ultimate format of human character. Respect the ga with your everything, and it will eventually respect you back.
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Day 2: The First Over (India 205/9)
The traditional morning bell rang out across the ground, its sharp chi signaling the restart. The South African team filtered back onto the outfield with renewed energy, led by a refreshed Morne Morkel who was already loosening his massive shoulders.
Rocky Rudra walked out of the tunnel. His white jersey still bore the deep, rust-colored stains from yesterday's desperate final-ball dive, but his gait was entirely different. It wasn't the slow, cautious trudge typical of a batsman stranded on 97*.
He was dynamically rotating his wrists, shadow-practicing a high-velocity, fluid swing as he crossed the boundary rope.
Mark Nicholas: "Welco back to the Bullring for day two. It is a breathtakingly crisp morning for cricket, but for one young man out there, it is undoubtedly the most critical morning of his life. He resus on 97. Just three runs away from absolute history. Morne Morkel has the brand-new ball. The slip cordon is packed to the throat. The tension in the air is completely palpable."
Shaun Pollock: "The morning air is thin, the ball is rock-hard. Under normal circumstances, Mark, you'd expect a teenager to quietly nudge a single, get to the safety of the non-striker's end, and just breathe. But look at his guard setup, Mark. He's standing way outside his crease to counter the swing. He... he is clearly not looking to just survive. I just hope I'm wrong."
Opening spell of Day 2.
Ball 90.1 (147.2 km/h):
Morkel stead in from the Golf Course End, his long strides pounding the turf before he released a hard, back-of-a-length delivery that angled across the off-stump. It was a classic morning tester, designed to exploit any early-morning footwork rigidity.
Rocky didn't wait for a second look. He didn't even bother looking for a gap in the inner ring. He aggressively planted his front foot, opened the face of his bat slightly, and unleashed a breathtaking, lofted inside-out cover drive.
The ball didn't just clear the scrambling infield. It sailed beautifully into the crisp blue sky, clearing the extra-cover boundary rope and landing deep into the grandstands.
Mark Nicholas: (Screaming into the microphone) "ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY KIDDING ?! ON 97 NOT OUT?! He's gone for the absolute maximum! HE'S DONE IT! ROCKY RUDRA HAS A TEST CENTURY ON DEBUT! A six to reach the hundred! I have never, in all my broadcasting years, seen such an utter lack of respect for the Nervous Nineties!"
Shaun Pollock: "Absolute madness! Absolute, pure genius! He has reached three figures in just 159 balls, and he did it with the kind of high-risk shot you'd normally see in a death-overs T20! The entire Bullring is in a state of absolute shock!"
Rocky didn't just casually raise his bat. He ripped off his helt, his features contorting into a raw, primal roar that echoed right across the stadium, the sound of a young lion forcefully claiming his territory in foreign lands.
He stood firmly in the center of the pitch, chest out, soaking in the stunned silence of the local fans. Then, he slowly raised his left hand, pointing a single, dirt-stained finger toward the bright sky.
A silent, deeply personal "thank you" to Mahadev.
Up in the visitor's dugout, Virat Kohli was halfway over the tal railing, punching the air frantically.
And eight thousand kiloters away in the quiet of Cuttack, Sujit Sir finally released his white-knuckled, clenched fist. His entire body was shaking with pure, unadulterated adrenaline, a lone tear cutting through the decades of wrinkles on his face as he stared at his television screen.
End of Ball 90.1: India 211/9
Rocky Rudra: 103* (159b, 9x4, 3x6)
Ishant Sharma: 1* (11b)
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Ball 90.2 (149.0 km/h):
Morkel, visibly shell-shocked by the audacity of the previous shot, over-reacted and tried to hit the deck hard with a vicious short ball. But Rocky was already in full, unadulterated IPL mode.
Anticipating the length, he calmly stayed back in his crease, tilted his head, and played a cheeky periscope ramp shot right over the wicketkeeper's head. The ball flew effortlessly and raced away to the fine-leg fence.
FOUR RUNS.
Mark Nicholas: "He has completely shifted gears! The tactical Test match has suddenly beco an absolute shootout! He's not trying to protect the tail anymore, he's actively dismantling the entire South African attack!"
Ball 90.3 (148.2 km/h):
Morkel went back to the short-ball strategy, this ti aiming a heavy delivery directly at the body to cramp the teenager. Rocky swivelled aggressively on his back foot and pulled it—not with the asured, defensive control of yesterday evening, but with the raw, terrifying violence of the CLT20.
The leather struck the middle of the bat and cracked against the square-leg boundary advertising boards in a heartbeat.
FOUR RUNS.
Shaun Pollock: "Morne is completely unraveled here. You can see the panic setting into the South African camp. He's bowling with pace, but the lines are entirely dictated by frustration right now."
Ball 90.4 (150.1 km/h) - DOT:
Desperate to stem the absolute leakage of runs, Morkel finally managed to find the blockhole with an absolute spear. Rocky jamd the heavy willow down just in ti to smother the ball into the pitch.
He was breathing incredibly hard, his eyes wide and manic under the visor. He was firmly locked in the zone.
Ball 90.5 (146.5 km/h):
Hoping to escape the swinging arc of the batsman, Morkel pushed his length wide of the off-stump. Rocky read it instantly, reached far out with his hands, and violently slashed the delivery right through point.
It was a classic, vintage Ponting square cut that left the sweeper tracking back completely helpless, a re spectator to the timing.
FOUR RUNS.
Shaun Pollock: "This is an absolute morning massacre! Eighteen runs off the first five balls of the day! South Africa honestly doesn't know where to bowl to this young man anymore. Grae Smith is frantically changing the field after every single delivery, but young Rudra is just playing with them like a grandmaster!"
Ball 90.6 (145.0 km/h):
Smartly changing his strategy for the final delivery, Morkel attempted a deceptive slower ball on a length. Rocky spotted the change of pace early, checked his hands, and tapped the ball gently down to mid-on before sprinting off for a sharp, single run.
He safely reached the non-striker's end and shared a quiet, lingering fist-bump with a grinning Ishant Sharma.
1 run.
___
End of Over 91: India 224/9
Rocky Rudra: 116* (164b, 12x4, 3x6)
Ishant Sharma: 1* (11b)
Mark Nicholas: "Nineteen astronomical runs from the opening over of the morning! A historic debut century reached with a thunderous six. At just eighteen years and 283 days old, Rocky Rudra has officially broken Abbas Ali Baig's long-standing record to beco the youngest Indian ever to score a century on Test debut! And goodness, he did it with the most ruthlessly aggressive display of batting I have ever witnessed in the very first over of a day's play."
Shaun Pollock: "He's not just a raw, exciting talent anymore, Mark. He's an absolute statent. He has just told the entire cricketing world that this new-generation India doesn't fear anything. Not the bounce, not the legendary pace, and certainly not the weight of the occasion."
Rocky stood quietly at the non-striker's end, his heavy chest heaving with exertion, his face covered in a thick mix of morning sweat and red Johannesburg clay.
He looked up at the giant electronic scoreboard once again, watching the green numbers update.
116*.
He wasn't done yet. Not even close.
___
Yes, he was the youngest Indian to score a century in debut.
Rocky broke Abbas Ali Baig's record of being 20 years old to smash a century in debut.
While, in reality, this record goes to Prithvi Shaw, Rocky would still be the youngest in terms of days.
His birth was on 11 March.
And, Shaw did it at the age of 18 years and 329 days while Rocky Rudra did it within 18 years and 283 days.
___
Back at ho, India.
The morning didn't just wake up, it exploded.
The sight of an eighteen-year-old resuming on 97*, only to step right out to a 147.2 km/h thunderbolt from Morne Morkel and dispatch it for a flat, majestic six over extra-cover—was a mont that fundantally shifted the DNA of Indian cricket.
The Star Sports Studio:
Host (Jatin Sapru): "I have absolutely no words! He has reached a Test hundred on debut, overseas, and he has done it by smashing a six! The youngest Indian to score a debut ton, and he did it with the total audacity of a thief in the night!"
(A/N: Once again, Prithvi Shaw is the real youngest Indian to score 100 in test debut.✌️)
Sourav Ganguly was laughing in sheer disbelief, his head shaking from side to side as the studio replay rolled.
Sourav Ganguly: "Jatin, I've shared a dressing room with Sachin Tendulkar, I've captained Virender Sehwag... but this? To pull off a stunt like that on 97 at the Bullring? This is Arrogance 2.0. He did so much more than just reach a personal milestone out there. He threw a direct challenge at the entire Proteas camp. Nineteen runs in the very first over of the morning! The boy has turned a Test match into a street fight!"
Ajay Jadeja: "Look at the record books, Dada. Eighteen years and 283 days old. In terms of an overseas Test hundred, he is just behind Sachin's record of being youngest Indian. But in terms of a debut, Rocky Rudra is officially the youngest Indian centurion in history. Beyond the math, look at the statent. He just told South Africa: 'Your bounce doesn't scare . And your reputation doesn't an a thing to either.'"
___
The Ashes Feed (Perth):
Shane Warne: "Did you blokes see that?! Rocky Rudra just brought up his maiden Test ton with a lofted inside-out cover drive for six at the Wanderers! That is easily the ballsiest thing I have ever seen on a cricket pitch. I'm telling you right now, this kid is the Alpha. He is the one player every single bowling attack is going to be absolutely terrified of for the next twenty years."
The West Indies Feed
Ian Bishop: "ROCKY! RUDRA! Rember the na! He has arrived on the grandest stage of them all, and he hasn't just knocked—he has forcefully kicked the door down! A debut hundred on South African soil is pure gold. But a hundred reached in that exact fashion? That is a definitive declaration of war!"
The global broadcast networks were completely hyper-focused on Rocky's historic milestone.
___
Twitter.
Trend: #RudraTandava #TheNewKing 312K Tweets
@VirenderSehwag (Verified): "97* to 116* in just one over? Rocky, beta, even I used to take at least two balls to manage sothing like that! 😂 Absolute incredible hitting. A star is not born today. A star has officially taken over the entire show. #IndvsSA #RockyRudra"
@Sachin_Era_99: "Youngest Indian to score a century on debut in SA. The Master's teenage legacy is being carried forward by his own proteges. I'm honestly crying. The transition of Indian cricket is complete. 🇮🇳🏏 #GodBlessRocky"
@CricSavage_India: "Morne Morkel just went for 19 runs in a single over. Let that sink in. A 147 km/h elite international pacer treated exactly like a local gully bowler on a Sunday morning. Rocky isn't human. He's a literal cheat code. 🌪️🔥"
@World_Hater_99: "Where are all the 'Steyn-gun' fanboys hiding now? Rocky just grabbed the gun and used it to shoot the hunter himself! 116* and counting! Stay mad, trolls! 😂🤡"
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r/Cricket - "THE ROCKY REACHES 100!"
gathread • 8.4k Comnts • Sorted by: New
u/TheWall_Fan [ 1.2k]: "I have honestly never seen anything quite like it in my entire life. To casually hit a six while sitting on 97* on the very first over of the morning in your debut Test... the testicles on this kid must be made of solid granite. I am officially a certified Rudra-simper from this day forward."
u/AussieSkeptic_2 [ 843]: "Okay, I will happily shut up now. I literally said yesterday he'd be walking back to the pavilion within three overs. Instead, he just smashed 19 runs in the opening over of Day 2. The kid is an absolute freak of nature. He's literally Ricky Ponting but engineered with a much higher, explosive gear."
u/Mumbai_Lobby_Enemy [ 920]: "The introduction of the 'Rocky Rule' is hands down the most correct thing the BCCI has done since that entire spot-fixing scandal. Retaining him for 10 lakhs was an absolute steal. MI managent knew. They always knew, and they desperately wanted to seal Rocky under the uncapped player rule last month 😂. Rocky isn't just a regular prospect anymore. He's a global phenonon now. MI fans must be crying in a corner right now."
u/Proteas_Fire_SA [-24]: (Reply) "It is literally just one over on a fresh morning, everyone needs to calm down. He is currently batting with the last remaining tail-ender. Let's see him repeat this farce in the second innings when the pitch cracks actually start to open up."
u/Rudra_Warrior [ 512]: (Reply to u/Proteas_Fire_SA) "He is literally on 116* in the very first innings of his debut match against the world's best bowling attack. Cope harder, bruh. Your premier bowlers look like they want to pack their bags and go ho."
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The Toxic Fan Wars: Kohli vs. Rudra vs. Dhoni
As Rocky's star rapidly reached the stratosphere, the fiercely protective fanbases of other established Indian cricket legends imdiately started feeling the heat, igniting a classic, toxic tiline war.
@Kohli_King_18: "Great hundred, let's be real for a second. The South African bowling attack was entirely tired out from yesterday's long shifts. Virat did the hard psychological work of tiring them down in the afternoon. Rocky is just reaping the rewards of a dead attack. Don't dare compare him to the King yet. #KohliIsKing"
A delusional take, to say the very least.
@Rudra_Cult: (Replying to @Kohli_King_18) "Virat did the hard work? Mate, Virat got out for 12 runs! You are a delusional fool. Rocky single-handedly carried the whole team on his back and completely outscored the entire top to middle order combined. Stop the blind jealousy. The 'King' has been officially dethroned by the 'Rudra.' Accept it and quiet down. 🤫👑"
@Dhoni_Loyalist: "Dhoni backed him from day one. This entire hundred belongs to MSD's legendary vision and mastermind captaincy. If Mahi hadn't boldly picked him over Ambati Rayudu for the final slot, we would have been bowled out for 100 easily. Respect the mastermind behind the miracle. #MahiMagic"
@Iluv_Rudra: (Replying to @Dhoni_Loyalist) "Nice try, mate. But that right there is an actual Overseas Test TON. Soone still has zero overseas Test hundreds in over nine years of red-ball cricket. 1 >> 0. Keep coping. 😏"
@Rayudu_Justice: "One lucky over in the morning doesn't change the fact that Ambati Rayudu was completely robbed of his spot by BCCI politics. This is just a glorified T20 slogger having a lucky, fluky day out. He'll be brutally exposed by the moving ball very soon. Mark my words. #JusticeForRayudu"
Ahh, my blud was that type of guy who was dreaming yesterday instead of watching the ga. 🤣🤣
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(A/N: Anyone else feel like 'Rayudu justice' is probably Rayudu himself?😂😂)
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