The Eleven Pros

Written by Aayan P.J.

One sunny day, my teammates and I were having a cricket lesson. The sun was blazing, and we were fresh and ready to start. Our coach was warming up, his arms going round and round. When we started, dark clouds were forming at the speed of lightning. I braced myself for the harsh weather, pulling my cap tight over  my head. I leaped onto the grass pitch. My friends followed my lead, sprinting into the field.

As our coach showed us how to hit a good six, I started daydreaming of last year’s Indian Premier League. I thought of the Final, and how the Mumbai Indians trashed the Delhi Capitals and how I had proved myself to Rohit Sharma, the Mumbai Indians’s captain.. “Boult! BOULT! Stop dreaming and show us how to hit a pro six!” I finally heard the coach say. Embarrassed, I stepped onto the middle of the field, brandishing my cricket bat. As a bowler flung the ball, I instinctively hit the ball with the bat. The ball went high into the air, then depressingly landed in a fielder’s hands. “Were you paying attention or were you daydreaming again, Boult?!” the coach asked me with a mocking voice. Everyone started laughing at me. Even tears of laughter rolled down one of their cheeks. I hung my head in shame and embarrassment.

After the lesson ended, I strode over to my bench on the field and gulped down some water. Then, the Mumbai Indians continued our lesson. Afterwards, I left the cricket stadium and went home, feeling glum. I downed my lunch, then went out onto a field to practice my bowling. As I flung the ball, my mind became clouded with an unknown substance. I fell onto my back, my mind wandering. My consciousness left my body, and the substance clouding his mind luring me out. Then a voice said, ” Hello, Trent Boult. I am the captain of the Eleven Pros, which is a team of professional cricket players. Are you ready to join this team, or are you too weak? If you think you are strong enough, meet us at the market Ertanious Market.“ Then the voice faded off, and he returned to my own body.

I immediately sprinted off to Ertanious. Upon reaching, I scoured the place for the Eleven Pros, with no luck. Then, a hand pulled me into the back of the shop. I recognised the face when I saw it- for it was my teammate, Jasprit Bumrah. He said that he had an alliance with the Eleven Pros. Then he told me to go to the field behind the shop. I did as I was told, and there I met a team of cricketers. They told me to bowl one over for a batsmen, and I did. Then the team made me do an over of batting. Last of all, I was asked to field six balls. I caught every single one of them. Then one of the cricketers said quietly, “You are now part of the Eleven Pros.” My heart did a somersault in joy. Then they told me to come to the same field everyday for training. And I did so. I then realised I was the best cricketer I could ever be.

 

The End

CAUTION: THIS IS A FICTIONAL BOOK AND THE AUTHOR HAS NEVER MET OR SEEN ANY OF THESE PLAYERS IN PERSON AND HAS NOT AGREED TO ALLOW HIM TO WRITE THIS BOOK