As the first light of dawn crept through the curtains, Shubman, with a yawn and a stretch, rose from his bed. The day beckoned with promises and possibilities. He donned his gear and made his way to the cricket ground, where the dew still clung to the blades of grass, glistening under the soft morning sun.

Upon his arrival, he was greeted by the sight of Gautham Gambhir, the coach whose presence commanded respect and admiration. "Good morning, sir," Shubman greeted with a respectful nod, his voice carrying the enthusiasm of a new day.

Gautham turned, a smile playing on his lips as he responded, "Good morning, young man." His words were an affirmation, a recognition of the potential he saw in Shubman. The young cricketer's smile broadened, and as his teammates joined them, the ground came alive with the sounds of practice.

Shubman took his stance at the crease, his bat feeling like an extension of his own body. Each stroke he played was a melody, and Gautham, watching intently, couldn't help but praise, "Very good, Shubman. Nice strokes." The words were simple, yet they filled Shubman with a sense of pride and determination.

Amidst the camaraderie, Kamlesh playfully shoulder-bumped Shubman, a silent acknowledgment of his skill. The morning practice continued, a symphony of bats and balls, until the sun climbed higher, and hunger began to make itself known.

"DK bhai, I am hungry," Kamlesh voiced the collective sentiment. Dinesh, ever the practical one, suggested, "Go ask GG sir. If he allows, then we can go for lunch."

Kamlesh approached Gautham with a hopeful look. "Sir, can we go for lunch?" he asked. Gautham, understanding the needs of his team, agreed, "Yeah, okay. DK, come here."

Dinesh hurried over, and Gautham instructed, "Take your lunch break and rest for a while, and we will come back to practice in the evening." With a nod of understanding, Dinesh relayed the message, and the team dispersed for a much-needed respite.

Lunch was a quiet affair, the silence speaking volumes of their exertion. Afterwards, Shubman retreated to his room, the fatigue of the morning weighing heavily on his eyelids. He lay on his bed, allowing the tranquility of the room to wash over him, when suddenly, his phone pierced the silence.

"Hello?" Shubman answered, his voice barely above a whisper, betraying his exhaustion.

Anvi's voice came through, concerned yet cheerful. "Hey, Maan. Practice?" she inquired.

"Yes, Anvi, practice since morning. Completely drained out. Again at 7:00 pm we have fielding practice," Shubman replied, the tiredness evident in his tone.

"Practice well, Maan, you will perform the best," Anvi encouraged, her words a balm to his weary spirit.

"I know. Now where are you?" Shubman asked, finding comfort in the normalcy of their conversation.

"College. Lunch break was going on, so thought of calling you," Anvi shared. The conversation meandered to family and friends, to the mundane and the amusing, until Anvi had to leave, promising, "Chal, try calling in the night, I want to show you something. Bye."

The day rolled on, and practice resumed with renewed vigor. Kamlesh's voice broke through Shubman's brief rest, "Broo... Practice."

With a groan, Shubman changed into his practice jerseys, and the fielding drills began. The evening stretched on, each catch and throw sapping the remaining energy from his limbs.

As the stars began to twinkle in the night sky, signaling the end of another day of hard work, Shubman's phone rang once more. It was Ishan, his friend and confidant, whose voice carried the warmth of a thousand suns.

"Arre bro, why did not call me after getting selected for KKR? I thought you are not even selected for IPL. Today that Abhi told me that you are playing for KKR," Ishan's words were a mix of surprise and mock indignation.

Shubman managed a tired "Hmm..." before explaining, "Intense practice by GG sir."

The conversation was a gentle ebb and flow of shared experiences and mutual understanding until Shubman, barely able to keep his eyes open, bid Ishan goodnight.

But the night was not yet ready to embrace him in its quietude. A FaceTime call from Keart, his mother, brought a smile to his face. "Hi, ma," he greeted, his voice soft and filled with affection.

Keart's maternal concern was palpable as she inquired about his day, his meals, and his well-being. "I love you, Shub, just practice with utmost concentration," she advised, her words wrapping around him like a warm hug.

"I love you too, ma," Shubman replied, the simplicity of the exchange carrying the weight of their bond.

With the call ended, Shubman changed into his night clothes, the comfort of his bed calling to him. As he drifted off to sleep, the dreams of the day's practice and the promise of tomorrow's triumphs danced in his mind.

As the dawn crept through the curtains of the Kolkata Knight Riders' team hotel, a palpable sense of anticipation filled the air. The players gathered in the conference room, where the head coach, Gautam Gambhir, stood at the front with a list that would seal the fate of the playing eleven for the crucial face-off against Chennai Super Kings.

Gambhir's voice resonated with authority as he began the roll call, "Dinesh Karthik, Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shubman Gill..." The names continued, but Shubman was already lost in a whirlwind of emotions. His heart skipped a beat when he heard his name announced in the sixth spot—a position he had not dared to dream of. A mix of shock and elation washed over him, and a proud smile spread across his face, reflecting a young cricketer's silent acknowledgment of his unexpected ascent.

Gambhir's voice brought him back to the moment, "The match is three days away, and we're heading to Chennai tonight. Make sure your bags are packed and ready to go." Shubman nodded, a gesture of quiet determination, and returned to his room to prepare for the journey ahead.

While packing, his phone buzzed with notifications. The team's media manager had sent over pictures from the previous day's practice session. Shubman scrolled through them, selecting a particularly good shot that captured the intensity of their preparations. With a few taps, the image was up on his Instagram, inviting a stream of likes and comments from fans and friends alike.

practice time with @kl_nagarkoti_5. #kkr

Comments:
anvi_jadhav: good to see @shubmangill practising. 'cause never seen him practising in Punjab.
                            shubmangill: seriously @anvi_jadhav? Your comments are visible to people.
dk00019: finally caught @shubmangill not practising at home. Thanks @anvi_jadhav.
                    anvi_jadhav: no problem DK bhai.
                                               shubmangill: seriously @dk00019?

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The team bus was abuzz with chatter and laughter as they set off for the airport. Shubman found himself deep in conversation with Anvi, discussing strategies and sharing the excitement of the upcoming challenge. Their dialogue was a blend of tactical talk and light-hearted banter, creating a bond that extended beyond the cricket field.

Anvi: Sorry Maan.
                                                                   Shubman: I am angry on you.
Anvi: Please Maan, I
             won't do it again.
                                                                    Shubman: DK bhai gave me extra
                                                                                            laps.
Anvi: Accha give me his no.
             I will tell him that it 
             was a joke
                                                                      Shubman: No need.
Anvi: Please, sorry Maan.
                                                                      Shubman: Fine.
                                                                      Shubman: +91 97651XXXXX
Anvi: Now I will make sure
             you will not get any
             punishment.
                                                                        Shubman: We will see.
              

Dinesh Karthik, the team captain, glanced over at Shubman's phone and read Anvi's latest message. With a brotherly smile, he said, "Shub, you can skip the extra laps today." Gratitude lit up Shubman's face as he replied, "Thank you, bhai. That means a lot."

The playful mood was interrupted when Kamlesh Nagarkoti, the team's young pacer, nudged Shubman and gestured towards Sunil Narine, who had dozed off. "Look over there, Narine's out cold. Perfect time for a little mischief, don't you think?" Kamlesh whispered with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Shubman chuckled but shook his head, "I'm staying out of trouble, Nagar. I've just gotten back in DK bhai's good graces, and I intend to keep it that way. You're on your own with this one."

Undeterred, Kamlesh stealthily retrieved a bag of M&M's from his backpack and tiptoed towards the sleeping Narine. As he carefully placed a candy into Sunil's slightly agape mouth, the spinner awoke with a start. Sunil caught sight of Kamlesh's barely suppressed laughter and chided him, "Can't you find something better to do? Take a leaf out of Shubman's book—look how peacefully he's sitting there with his AirPods, lost in his own world."

Kamlesh turned to see Shubman gazing contemplatively out the window, earbuds in place, seemingly in tune with the rhythm of the journey. With a resigned sigh, Kamlesh settled next to him, plucked out one of Shubman's AirPods, and together they shared the music, the camaraderie, and the quiet anticipation of the adventure that lay ahead.