**Day 6 – BCCI Excellence Academy**
The players finish another grueling day of training, their bodies aching, their minds sharper than ever. Just as they settle for the night, the LED board lights up in the common hall.
🎥 **BCCI ANNOUNCEMENT – NATIONAL POOL LEAGUE FORMAT**
> "Starting Day 10, the National Pool League begins.
> 4 teams.
> 5 matches.
> Points. Stats. Knockouts.
> The nation will watch. International scouts will rate.
> Only **11** will make it to Team India Next-Gen."
Gasps. Silence. Reality.
---
### 🧩 Team Formation
Randomized selections appear on screen.
🟢 **Team Titans**
- Aryan Raj (Opener)
- Omkar Shinde (Vice Captain, Spinner)
- Iqbal Nawaz (WK)
- Tarun Kapoor (All-rounder)
- Rishi Luthra (Left-arm pacer)
🔴 **Team Phoenix**
- Yuvraj Rathore (Captain)
- Rajveer Goyal (Opener)
- Dev Mehta (Middle order)
- Arman Ahuja (Pacer)
- Sanket Rathi (Off-spinner)
🔵 **Team Havoc**
- Zayaan Sheikh (Vice Captain)
- Sai Menon (Captain)
- Lalit Negi (Finisher)
- Shubham Dey (Leg-spinner)
- Aditya Parmar (Fast bowler)
🟡 **Team Vanguard**
- Rehan Malik (Captain)
- Zeeshan Waris (Spinner)
- Amit Rawat (Wicketkeeper)
- Krunal Joshi (Pacer)
- Rakesh Kalia (All-rounder)
---
### ⚔️ Format Breakdown
- 4 League Matches per team
- 1 Semifinal
- 1 Final
- Each player is tracked for:
- Strike Rate
- Pressure Recovery
- Field Decision Impact
- Behavior Index
Dravid announces:
> "Cricket isn't stats. But now… it has to be."
---
### 🧠 Aryan & Omkar – Titans' Core
Omkar quietly begins strategy sessions, drawing field placements and opponent triggers on a whiteboard.
Aryan watches, speaks only once:
> "Let's never react. Let's only adapt."
They form an unspoken alliance.
---
### 🔥 Zayaan Seethes
Sai is made captain of his team. Zayaan, though vice, is not consulted on strategy.
> Zayaan (to himself): "This is war disguised as cricket. Let's bleed it."
He begins private training with a speed gun, clocking 149 kph — rage fuelled.
---
### 🎯 Behind Closed Doors
Dhoni and Dravid speak privately.
> Dhoni: "This is the tipping point. After this league, we'll know who's got the fire… and who's just smoke."
---
### 🌒 Final Scene – Rooftop, Night
Players stand on their balconies, staring at the same moon.
In different teams.
On different paths.
But with one goal — *wear the blue jersey.*
Voiceover (imagined):
> "To play for India is not a dream.
> It's a debt to pay — with pain, patience, and fire."
---
🔥 **Next: Chapter 28 – Match Day 1: Titans vs Phoenix – A Rivalry Ignites**