**Day 18 – Bat & Ball Program Headquarters**
The hangover from the India Gate Exhibition Match still lingers.
News channels still loop Omkar's finishing shot.
Instagram reels flooded with Aryan's silent walk past legends.
But inside the Bat & Ball dormitory… silence is heavier than celebration.
Because today marks the first elimination.
---
**BCCI Announcement – Early Morning**
> "As promised, this program isn't about just impressing. It's about evolving. And some haven't."
Players gather in the Iron Dome.
Dhoni walks in with a sealed envelope.
> "One name. One exit. No second chance."
Gasps across the room.
A screen behind lights up: **'Internal Consistency + Coach Ratings + Psychological Sync Score'**.
Lowest performer: **Iqbal Nawaz**
---
**Flashback: Iqbal's Journey**
The boy who started as one of the quickest batters.
Explosive wrists. A street-hitter with insane reflexes.
But his inconsistency, his tendency to rebel against planning, and refusal to adapt cost him dearly.
Coach's voice echoes from a past session:
> "Iqbal, talent ke aage planning nahi chalega. You can't play blind cricket anymore."
Iqbal had stormed out.
---
**Present Moment – Elimination**
Iqbal stands frozen.
Omkar looks down. Even Zayaan, once harsh, stares with guilt.
Yuvraj mutters: "He didn't deserve to go this early…"
But Aryan, eyes sharp, says quietly:
> "He deserved more chances. But he didn't *earn* them."
Iqbal walks up to Dhoni.
> Dhoni: "You're still a cricketer. But not all cricketers become legends."
Iqbal nods, drops his cap, and walks out without looking back.
---
**Aftermath – Dorm Silence**
Tarun breaks down.
Sai Menon closes his room door and doesn't come out all day.
Zayaan punches the net pole during practice.
Aryan... picks up Iqbal's old bat and keeps it on the dorm wall.
> "Not forgotten. Just… paused."
---
**Later That Day – Mentor Room Meeting**
Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, and Mithali Raj join Dhoni on a video call.
They discuss the top 5 performers so far:
- Aryan Raj
- Omkar Shinde
- Sai Menon
- Rajveer Goyal
- Zayaan Sheikh
> Dravid: "Aryan's mind is made for captaincy."
> Kohli: "Omkar is silent genius. Reminds me of Kane."
> Mithali: "But Zayaan's passion? That sells. Crowds love it."
Dhoni leans back:
> "Then let's test what they do… when *one of them* is pushed to the brink."
---
**Twist: Night Challenge is Announced**
All players receive a text:
> "MIDNIGHT MIND TEST – REPORT TO NETS AT 12:00 AM SHARP"
No explanation.
No mentors visible.
Just floodlights and an AI-powered ball machine set to unpredictable modes.
> Commentary Room Observer: "They're tired, grieving, unprepared. Let's see who still shows up mentally."
---
**Midnight Challenge Begins**
Players arrive in silence.
They are asked to bat one-by-one — against 20 balls from an AI machine that simulates world-class bowlers with emotional interference: sledging audio, crowd booing, flashing lights.
> First: Zayaan – aggressive, but mistimes 6 balls in anger.
> Second: Aryan – defends first 3 balls, then calculates field, places 6 straight.
> Third: Omkar – ignores all distractions, scores 18 off 20 with zero risk.
> Fourth: Rajveer – slow start, but adapts. Smart footwork.
> Fifth: Sai Menon – falters. Struggles with lights, gets bowled 3 times.
---
**Results Posted on Screen**
Top 3:
1. Omkar Shinde
2. Aryan Raj
3. Rajveer Goyal
Bottom 3:
- Sai Menon
- Tarun Dev
- Ravi Prakash
---
**Foreshadowing**
Zayaan walks out alone after the test.
He punches the wall softly.
> Zayaan (whispers): "If one more leaves… it won't be me."
Camera cuts to Sai, staring at his bat in disbelief.
Voiceover:
> "One already fell. But the program… demands more."
---
**Next Up: Chapter 20 – Mental Meltdowns & Silent Uprisings**