It was the evening of October 24th. Siddanth Deva sat on the sofa in his hotel room in Pune. He held his phone to his ear.
"The response is unbelievable, Darling," Prabhas said through the speaker. The actor sounded happy. "My phone has not stopped ringing since the teaser dropped. The fans love the calm look."
"The team did a good job capturing your expressions," Siddanth replied, looking out the window at the city lights.
"When are we launching the full trailer?" Prabhas asked eagerly. "Fans are already asking for more."
"I was thinking of next year, during Dussehra," Siddanth said. "It fits the theme perfectly. We will release the final trailer then, and the movie will follow for Diwali."
Prabhas laughed. "That is perfect timing. I will let you rest now, Captain. You have a match tomorrow."
"Thank you, Darling. See you soon," Siddanth said.
He ended the call. He checked the time on his screen and dialed another number.
Krithika answered on the second ring.
"Hello," Krithika said softly.
"Did you eat dinner?" Siddanth asked, resting his head back against the sofa.
"I ate," she said. "Your mother made sure my plate was full. How are you feeling?"
"I am fine. The pitch here in Pune looks good," Siddanth told her.
There was a brief pause on the line.
"Sid," Krithika said. Her voice was uncharacteristically low and hesitant.
"Yes?"
"Can I come to the game tomorrow?" she asked quickly.
Siddanth frowned. He sat up straight. "Krithi, the flight to Pune—"
"Wait, listen to me first," Krithika interrupted him hurriedly. She knew exactly what he was going to say. If she let him speak, he would convince her with a very logical 'no'. "I had a dream last night."
"A dream?" Siddanth asked.
"Yes," she said. "I dreamt that you will break the record tomorrow. I want to watch it live. And also, I am in my second trimester now. The doctor said it is very safe for the babies. Please. Please, please, please, let me come."
Siddanth chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Really? A dream? That is the excuse you are going with?"
"I swear!" Krithika protested immediately. "Swear, swear. I really got a dream."
Siddanth let out a long, heavy sigh. He could not say no when she asked like that.
"Well," Siddanth relented. "You can come."
"Yay!" Krithika cheered happily through the speaker.
"But on my terms," Siddanth added strictly.
"Doesn't matter," Krithika said instantly. "I'll agree."
"Don't say that," Siddanth warned her. "You'll regret it."
"I won't," she promised.
Siddanth laughed softly. He started listing his conditions. "You will be surrounded by security all the time. At least ten people from NEXUS. I do not want to take any risks in a stadium crowd."
"Done," Krithika agreed.
"There will be a doctor accompanying you in the VIP box at all times," Siddanth continued. "And no hotel food. I will make sure a dedicated chef travels with you so he can cook everything with fresh ingredients. If you feel even a little dizzy or tired, you will leave the stadium immediately. And lastly, Anjali does not leave your side the entire day."
"Okay to all of it," Krithika said cheerfully.
Siddanth paused. "Why are you agreeing so easily?"
He could practically hear Krithika smiling through the phone.
"Because I already knew you'd say all this," Krithika replied.
Siddanth shook his head.
"Should I also have an ambulance following my car?" Krithika joked.
"Don't tempt me," Siddanth replied flatly.
Krithika laughed. "See? This is exactly why I interrupted you. If I'd let you speak first, you'd have said no."
"I wasn't going to say no," Siddanth defended himself.
"Really?"
"...I was going to think about saying no," Siddanth admitted.
"Exactly," Krithika laughed again. Her tone softened. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For worrying this much about us," Krithika said softly, resting a hand on her stomach back in Hyderabad. "I know you're only doing it because you love us."
Siddanth smiled, looking out the hotel window. "Of course I am."
They talked for a few more minutes before ending the call, telling each other they loved them and to take care.
The next morning, the Indian team arrived at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. They were feeling confident after winning the first match of the series in Mumbai.
The stadium was packed. The crowd blew horns and waved blue flags as the players warmed up.
Siddanth walked out to the center of the pitch for the toss. Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain, walked right beside him. The two captains shared a very good bond from their time playing together in the IPL.
"The sun is very harsh today, Sid," Kane smiled, adjusting his cap.
"It is a bit warm," Siddanth agreed. "Make sure your fast bowlers drink plenty of water."
"We will try our best," Kane chuckled. "Hopefully, we can put up a better fight today than we did in Mumbai."
They reached the center of the pitch. Sanjay Manjrekar stood waiting with a microphone.
"Welcome to Pune for the second ODI," Sanjay announced. "Kane, you have the coin."
Kane flipped the coin.
"Heads," Siddanth called out.
It landed on tails.
"New Zealand wins the toss," Sanjay said. "What is your decision, Kane?"
"We will bat first," Kane replied. "The pitch looks very good for batting right now. We want to put runs on the board."
Sanjay turned to Siddanth. "Siddanth, you have to bowl first. Any changes to your playing eleven today?"
"We have one change," Siddanth said. "Axar Patel comes in. So our team is Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, myself, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Jasprit Bumrah."
The captains shook hands and walked back to the dressing room.
As Siddanth walked toward the boundary line, he glanced up at the VIP corporate boxes located above the pavilion.
He saw her.
Krithika was sitting comfortably in the front row. Right next to her was Anjali, waving excitedly at him. Sitting beside them was the doctor who regularly checks Krithika's health.
Siddanth smiled, feeling a sense of relief. He gave a quick nod toward the box before walking into the dressing room.
"We are bowling," Siddanth told the team. "Get ready."
The match began.
In the commentary box, Harsha Bhogle and Sunil Gavaskar took their seats.
"The Indian team makes their way onto the field," Harsha announced. "Martin Guptill and Colin Munro are opening for New Zealand. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the new ball."
Bhuvneshwar started well, bowling a tight line on the off-stump. Bumrah bowled from the other end, keeping his pace high.
"It is a steady start for New Zealand," Harsha observed after the first few overs. "Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah are not giving away any easy runs. They are keeping the openers very quiet."
Siddanth set his field and rotated his bowlers. He checked the VIP box occasionally. Krithika looked fine. She was drinking water and chatting with Anjali.
In the tenth over, Siddanth decided to bring himself into the attack.
"Here comes the captain," Sunil Gavaskar noted. "Siddanth Deva brings himself on. Let us see how he bowls on this pitch."
Siddanth ran in and bowled extremely fast and straight.
11.1 Siddanth bowled a length ball on the middle stump. Munro defended it.
11.2 Siddanth bowled a faster delivery on the off-stump. Munro pushed it to cover.
11.3 Siddanth bowled a bouncer. Munro ducked.
11.4 Siddanth ran in and bowled a fast, full delivery angling directly into the middle and leg stumps.
Munro tried to play across the line. The ball was too fast. It beat the inside edge of his bat and crashed into his front pad.
The Indian team appealed loudly. The umpire raised his finger immediately.
"Plumb in front!" Harsha announced loudly. "Siddanth strikes in his very first spell! Munro misses the straight delivery. New Zealand loses their first wicket."
Munro walked back for 10 runs.
A few overs later, Siddanth struck again.
15.2 Siddanth bowled a short, wide delivery outside the off-stump. Tom Latham tried to cut the ball hard. The ball took a thick outside edge and flew to the right. Kedar Jadhav, standing at point, took a sharp catch.
"Caught at point!" Gavaskar said. "Siddanth Deva gets another one. Latham goes for a wide ball and pays the price. New Zealand are 58 for 2."
New Zealand played a steady innings after the early wickets. Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor built a solid partnership. Williamson scored a very good half-century.
The Indian spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel, bowled tight lines in the middle overs, restricting the runs heavily. Bumrah returned in the final ten overs and executed perfect yorkers.
"A very disciplined bowling performance from India," Harsha summarized as the teams walked off after fifty overs. "New Zealand finishes their innings at 230 for 9. Siddanth Deva takes two crucial wickets. 231 should be a very comfortable chase for this Indian batting lineup."
During the innings break, Siddanth sat in the dressing room. He drank his water quickly. He wanted to finish this chase efficiently. He did not want Krithika sitting in the stadium for too long.
Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan walked out to begin the chase.
The New Zealand fast bowlers, Trent Boult and Tim Southee, used the new ball very well. They found swing and bounce.
In the fourth over, Boult bowled to Rohit Sharma.
3.4 Dhawan pushed the ball to point for a single.
3.5 Boult bowled a full delivery that swung away slightly off the pitch.
Rohit tried to play a solid defensive stroke. The late swing caught the outside edge of his bat. The ball flew straight to the wicketkeeper, Tom Latham, who caught it easily.
"Edged and taken!" Harsha called out. "Trent Boult strikes early! Rohit Sharma is caught behind for just 8 runs. India loses an early wicket."
Virat Kohli walked out to bat at number three.
Dhawan and Kohli built a steady partnership. Dhawan hit a few boundaries through the off-side, but the pitch was slightly slow.
In the fifteenth over, Mitchell Santner, the left-arm spinner, came into the attack.
14.4 Santner bowled a flighted delivery outside the off-stump. Kohli stepped forward to play a cover drive. The ball gripped the dry surface and spun away sharply. It took a thick edge and went straight to the slip fielder, Ross Taylor.
"Oh, he has found the edge!" Sunil Gavaskar said loudly. "Mitchell Santner gets the big fish! The ball spins away from Kohli, and he is caught at slip for 29. India is 75 for 2."
Siddanth grabbed his bat and walked down the pavilion steps.
"And here comes the captain," Harsha said on the broadcast. "Siddanth Deva walks out to the middle. The crowd is on its feet. They need a solid partnership here."
Siddanth walked out to the middle. He tapped gloves with Dhawan.
"The ball is stopping a bit, Sid," Dhawan warned him.
"Just give me the strike, Shikhar," Siddanth replied flatly.
Siddanth took his guard. He faced Tim Southee.
15.1 Southee bowled a length delivery on the off-stump. Siddanth stepped out of his crease, reached the pitch of the ball, and hit it cleanly over the mid-off fielder for a boundary. Four runs.
15.2 Southee, surprised by the early attack, bowled a short delivery aimed at the chest. Siddanth rolled his wrists and pulled the ball forcefully into the deep mid-wicket stands for a massive six.
"What a start!" Gavaskar exclaimed. "He doesn't even bother getting his eye in. He attacks from ball one."
15.3 Southee bowled a full, wide yorker. Siddanth opened the face of his bat and sliced it past point for another boundary. Four runs.
15.4 Southee bowled a slower ball on the pads. Siddanth flicked it to deep square leg for a single.
He batted with aggression. He did not care about the slow pitch. He wanted the match to end quickly so Krithika could rest.
When the spinners came on, he treated them with disdain.
18.2 Santner bowled a tossed-up delivery. Siddanth stepped down the track and hit it straight over the bowler's head for six.
18.3 Santner bowled a flatter delivery. Siddanth hit it past extra cover for a boundary.
His strike rate crossed 200 and stayed there.
"What is he doing today?" Harsha asked, sounding baffled. "Siddanth Deva is batting like he has a flight to catch! Usually, he anchors the innings. Today, he is tearing this bowling attack apart."
Dhawan watched from the other end, completely surprised by his sudden rush. Dhawan took singles to give Siddanth the strike.
In the twenty-second over, Siddanth hit Trent Boult for another boundary through the covers.
"Fifty for the captain!" Gavaskar announced. "And he reaches it in just 22 balls! That is incredibly fast."
Siddanth kept hitting. He cut the fast bowlers past point. He pulled the short balls over square leg. The target of 231 runs, which usually takes forty overs to chase on a slow pitch, was shrinking rapidly.
24.1 Colin de Grandhomme bowled a medium-pace delivery. Siddanth stepped out and hit it for a straight six.
24.2 Grandhomme bowled wide. Siddanth hit it past point for four.
The New Zealand fielders looked exhausted. Kane Williamson moved his fielders around constantly, but Siddanth just hit the ball over them.
By the thirty-fourth over, India needed just 12 runs to win the match.
Siddanth was on strike. He was batting on 96.
The stadium was buzzing. Everyone in the crowd knew what was happening.
Siddanth Deva currently had 101 international centuries across all formats. He was tied with Sachin Tendulkar for the most centuries in the history of international cricket.
Four more runs, and he would break the absolute biggest record in the sport.
Trent Boult ran in to bowl the first ball of the over.
33.1 Boult bowled a fast, full delivery. Siddanth pushed it to cover. No run.
33.2 Boult bowled a wide yorker. Siddanth reached out and squeezed it to deep point for a single.
Dhawan was on strike. Dhawan pushed the next ball to mid-on and took a quick single, giving the strike back to Siddanth.
Siddanth was on 97.
33.4 Boult ran in hard. He did not want to give away the century easily. He bowled a fast, rising bouncer aimed directly at Siddanth's head.
Siddanth saw the short ball early. He did not duck. He shifted his weight to his back foot, rolled his wrists flawlessly, and pulled the ball with incredible power.
The ball flew high over the square leg boundary. It cleared the boundary rope and landed deep in the crowd.
Six runs.
The stadium erupted into an absolute frenzy. Forty thousand fans jumped out of their seats simultaneously. The noise was deafening.
In the commentary box, Sunil Gavaskar stood up.
"He has done it! Century number 102!" Gavaskar announced loudly. "Siddanth Deva stands alone at the absolute top of the mountain! He has officially broken Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most centuries in international cricket! What a monumental achievement!"
"Records are made to be broken, we say that often. But every now and then comes a record that feels almost impossible. Sachin Tendulkar's tally of international hundreds was one of those. Siddanth Deva has just gone beyond it. We are watching something that future generations will read about." Harsha Bhogle added.
Up in the VIP box, Anjali screamed at the top of her lungs and jumped up and down.
Krithika stood up slowly from her chair. She walked to the glass window. She clapped her hands together, a proud, watery smile forming on her face. Tears gathered in her eyes as she looked down at her husband. Her dream had come true. She was here to see it.
Down on the pitch, Siddanth reacted calmly.
He took his helmet off.
Then, he looked down at his bat. He raised it and opened his fingers. He let the bat drop. It hit the dry pitch with a dull thud. The crowd roared louder at the iconic celebration.
He then raised his right hand, pointing his index finger straight up to the sky. It was a clear, silent statement. He was officially at the very top, standing alone at number one.
Finally, he looked up toward the VIP corporate box. He saw Krithika standing near the glass, clapping with tears in her eyes. He raised his hand and blew a flying kiss directly to her.
He picked his bat up and put his helmet back on, and walked up the pitch to Dhawan, tapped gloves briefly, and walked directly back to his crease. He was happy about the record, but he still wanted to finish the game.
"A very composed celebration," Harsha noted. "He knows the job isn't completely done yet."
India needed 4 runs to win the match.
33.5 Boult bowled a full delivery outside the off-stump.
Siddanth stepped forward, opened the face of his bat, and drove the ball flawlessly past the extra cover fielder. The ball raced across the grass and hit the boundary rope.
Four runs.
The match was officially over.
"And he finishes it with a boundary!" Harsha announced loudly. "India wins the match by 8 wickets in just 34.4 overs. Siddanth Deva remains unbeaten on 107 off just 51 balls. A breathtaking run chase."
Siddanth walked off the field quickly. He shook hands with Trent Boult and Kane Williamson near the boundary line.
The ground staff rushed onto the field to set up the post-match presentation area. Sanjay Manjrekar stood near the trophies. He called Siddanth to the stage immediately.
Sanjay Manjrekar: "Siddanth, Man of the Match today, and you've just gone past Sachin Tendulkar's tally of international centuries. One hundred and two. It's one of the greatest records in the history of cricket. How does it feel?"
Siddanth accepted the microphone. The applause around the stadium refused to die down. He waited for it to settle before speaking.
"It feels special," he said. "Growing up, Sachin sir wasn't just a cricketer to us. He was the reason millions of children picked up a bat. I was one of them."
The crowd applauded again.
"So, to even have my name mentioned alongside his is an honour. To go past him... that's something I never imagined as a kid."
He paused for a moment.
"But records are never built by one person."
He looked toward the Indian dressing room.
"My parents gave me my first bat. My coaches taught me the game. My teammates have stood beside me for years. My wife and my family have made sacrifices that people will never see. And every fan who has supported me has been part of this journey."
Another round of applause echoed around the ground.
"So this hundred doesn't belong only to me. It belongs to everyone who helped me get here."
He smiled.
"And tomorrow, the scoreboard will go back to zero. We'll start again."
The crowd erupted.
Sanjay nodded appreciatively.
"Well said. One more thing, Siddanth."
"You've just reached one hundred and two international centuries... but you're only twenty-six years old."
The crowd laughed.
"You've probably got another decade, maybe even more, left in international cricket. So... should bowlers around the world start worrying about another hundred centuries?"
The crowd laughed again.
Siddanth couldn't help but laugh as well.
"I think they're already worried enough, Sanjay."
The crowd burst into laughter.
He continued with a grin.
"I'll be happy if I can still middle the ball tomorrow. The rest... we'll leave to God."
The crowd applauded loudly.
Sanjay chuckled.
"That's a wonderfully diplomatic answer."
He shook Siddanth's hand.
"Congratulations once again. History has been made here in Pune."