The story starts with rain.
They say talent finds a way. But in Pavan Raj's world, talent was chained by poverty.
The rain had been falling for hours.Thick droplets slammed against the tin roof of their modest house in Maibadh village, echoing through every broken wall. It wasn't a peaceful rain. It was the kind of rain that made everything feel like different feelings.
Seventeen-year-old Pavan Raj, whom everyone simply call as "Raj," sat alone on the edge of their stone step. His cricket bat rested beside him, worn at the handle, taped at the base. It had once been a gift from a senior who moved away and since then, it had become the most important thing in Raj's life.Not a tool. Not just gear. It was a piece of him.
And now, it was all he had left.Inside the house, Das shouting at mom."I'm telling you, this cricket nonsense is ruining him!" his father shouted. "What does he think he is? A Tendulkar?"
"He's just a boy chasing his dream," his mother, Meenakshi, replied gently."Dreams don't fill stomachs! We barely have money for rice, and he wants gloves and pads?"
Raj closed his eyes with hurting heart. The words stabbed deeper than any wound. He was used to it. But that didn't make it easier.
He looked down at his feet, soaked from the muddy street. His slippers were torn. His uniform was faded. But his bat though chipped and cracked was cleanand polished. He cleaned it every evening like a hobby.Because it was all he had.
Cricket wasn't just a game to Raj. It was his escape. His identity. The only place where the world seemed fair. Where effort mattered more than money where his feelings are sharp, he himself gave him an positive hope even without training or coaching.
When he stepped onto a field, he wasn't the son of a struggling clerk. He wasn't the boy who skipped lunch so his younger sister could eat. He was just a player. A good one. Maybe even a great one if given a real chance.
But chances were rare and depends on luck. And in his world, luck came at a price.Earlier that day, Raj had been selected for the school's zonal team shortlist. A real opportunity. One step closer to the state selection committee's eyes. One match away from exposure. But there was a condition: every player needed full gear. Helmet, pads, proper shoes, gloves. No exceptions.
The list was handed to him by Coach Murali Krishna, who liked Raj but didn't show favouritism."You've got the skill, Raj," he said. "But this is a standard rule. Either come in full kit or don't come at all."
Raj had nodded without reply.He knew better than to ask his father.As the storm raged above, Raj stepped out into the open yard. The mud touching under his feet. Thunder are striking in the distance.He stood under the sky and did something he hadn't done in a long time.
After few months his mother passed away due to illness. He deeply got depressed.He don't know what to do.The only one who supported him is lost.
He mourned a lot for months.Then he didn't know what do to next.Then he started praying.He kneeled down and started
Crying....Praying..... Crying.... Praying.....
Not to any specific god. Just to the universe. To fate. To whatever power was out there."If you're listening please," he prayed. "Give me a real chance. Just once. Not money nor fame. Just a shot. I'll do the rest."His voice cracked, but he didn't cry. He was too tired for tears."I don't want to be famous. I just don't want to be forgotten."
A flash of lightning flashed in the sky, followed by a violent sound of thunder that made the trees tremble.
Then everything went still.No wind. No noise. No sound but Raj's own breath.
And then
[System Synchronization Detected...]
Raj shocked.
[Candidate Identified: PAVAN RAJ]
Talent Profile: High Instinct + Untapped Growth Potential
Regression Eligibility: Approved
Initializing system... please stand by.
Raj stumbled back. "What is this, what's happening?"The rain stopped.Literally everything stopped. Mid-fall. Droplets stuck frozen in the air around him.
[Welcome, Raj.]
You've been chosen for the Cricket System.
You wished for a chance. We give you time.
Regression will begin in 3... 2... 1...
Before he could scream, the world broken into pieces and entered a new light.Raj woke up with heavy breath.He sat upright, heart pounding fast, forehead covered in sweat.But the fan above him wasn't broken anymore.The room looked a bit different.
He turned toward the wall and saw a calendar. It's-
"July 2017."
Raj's eyes got big and get shocked. "What?! That's four years ago!"His hands shaking as he ran to the cracked mirror in the corner.Staring back at him was a younger version of himself. Fresher. cleaner. Brighter eyes. No facial hair.
"What the hell is happening?!"
[System Activated.]
Regression Complete.
Current Age: 13 Years, 11 Months
Location: Maibadh Govt School Dormitory
Welcome to your second chance, Pavan Raj.
Raj slept to the floor, shaking.This wasn't a dream. It was real.He had gone back in time.
Outside, morning birds ar chirping . The world hadn't changed.
But the world inside Raj?Everything will be changing from now.
To be continued.....