It was 6 a.m. on Monday morning, and I jumped out of bed with a smile on my face. As usual, I greeted myself with a cheerful "Good morning!" I stepped into the shower, and the warm water enveloped me. I closed my eyes and let the water hit my face, feeling the tension melt away. I took a deep breath and let the water rinse my hair, feeling the weight of my worries lift off my shoulders.
As I lathered up my body with the rich, foamy soap, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. Today was the first day of my new job, and I was determined to make a good impression. I had spent hours getting ready, carefully selecting my outfit, and making sure every strand of hair was in place.
I rinsed off the soap and stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. I wrapped myself in a plush towel and reached for my hair dryer, ready to start the rest of my routine. As I dried my hair, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and couldn't help but smile. I had chosen a dark black full-sleeved jumpsuit that I thought would make the best impression. I had combed my hair and let it free, carefully applying my iconic Kajal to the lower lash line and a pale pink lipstick to my lips. Finally, I had worn my classic watch on my right hand as usual. I took one last look at myself in the mirror and said, "That's perfect!"
I hopped on my Vespa and started driving towards Wankhede Stadium. The sun had just started to peek out from the horizon, and I felt my excitement start to build as I approached my destination. It was around 9 a.m. when I finally arrived, and without any delay, I went to the IT room. I knocked on the door, asking, "May I come in?"
I heard Mr. Patel's voice saying "Yes, please!". I opened the door, and there he was, Mr. David, standing right in front of me along with Patel. I was in awe, and I could hardly believe that I was actually in the presence of Mr. David. I wanted to scream in joy, but I managed to keep my composure and walked up to Mr. Patel to greet him. He was kind enough to offer me a seat, and I gladly accepted.
Mr. Patel started speaking to me, and he said, "You should have known by this time. The man standing over here is one of our nation's prides and today's Indian team head coach." I nodded my head and greeted Mr. David with a smile.
Mr. Patel turned towards David and said, "So, David, as you knew, we were looking for a data analyst for our team, and I have recruited Tara as the one for it. She has huge skills in analytics and a huge passion for cricket. So going forward, Tara will be closely working with you guys, and we as a team can win several cups.".
Mr. David said "That sounds good!" and greeted me with a smile, saying "Welcome to Team India; from today onwards, you will also be one of us, Tara", I nodded my head with a smirk.
Mr. Patel said, "Let's go down and introduce Tara to the boys," and we three headed towards the ground. The faces that I always saw on television as tiny things became closer and closer, and I had a clear view of all of them. Mr. David shouted "boys assemble," and everyone started running towards us and standing in a line.
Mr. David started speaking,
"Let me introduce Tara to you all." I was nervous; my palms were sweaty, and my heart was pounding. I was about to meet the most popular boys in town, the ones who had made it big on television.
Mr. David took a step forward and said, "Welcome, Tara! We are so glad to have you here. We have heard so much about you, and we are excited to get to know you better."
The boys began to introduce themselves one by one. The first one standing in line was a tall guy with a beard who introduced himself as Sridhar, the batting coach. Next to him was a little fat guy with a darker skin tone. He introduced himself as Sriram, the bowling coach. I could sense that he was a Tamilian, just like me.
The next thing I saw was a line of national stars who were popular across the entire world. They gave a quick introduction of themselves, starting with Gaurav Sharma, followed by Rahul, Jadhav, Harpreet Patel, Adhi, Ajay, Zahiri, Zayn, Roby, Dhawan, Surya, Sanju, Patek, Pritam, and Rachin. As the skipper of the team, Gaurav said, "Happy having you on team Tara!" My idol had just spoken to me! I was speechless. All I could do in reply was nod my head with a smile. I was done for life. I had made it to my dream team, and I was ready to take on the world.
I heard a voice calling me, and it was David "Tara, I have something to discuss with you. Can we go ahead?", I nodded yes. He instructed the boys to dismiss and continue their practice. Me and David walked towards the pavilion, sat there, and started speaking.
"As you know, we have a T20 series against Sri Lanka starting next month," he said. "That's why we are here practicing. We will fly to Sri Lanka on the third week of this month and have two weeks of practice sessions on their ground. So, within this time, I want you to help us with your skills. Things can't be achieved in a day, but they can be done step by step. Let's start moving towards success."
I said, "Yes, what you said is true. I will give my best to help the team in every aspect. I will never be a blocker for you guys."
David smiled and nodded in appreciation. "I'm glad to hear that," he said. "We need everyone's dedication and enthusiasm to succeed. Let's work together and make this series a success. That's settled, then. Let me take a leave." and he started running towards the part of the ground where the boys were practicing.
I watched David as he ran, and I could see the determination on his face. He was determined to make this team the best, and he was going to do whatever it took to make it happen.
I sat in the pavilion for a few hours and observed all of them. All that was running through my mind was, "This is my team; all of these boys are my responsibility; I need to give my best."
I was sitting in my bedroom, surrounded by the familiar sights and sounds of my home. The clock on the wall said it was 6 p.m., and I was doing my homework. I had been given some important responsibilities, and I wanted to make sure I was ready for them. Finally, the clock struck 7 p.m., and I finished my homework. I looked around my room and smiled. I was ready for tomorrow. I went to bed with a sense of excitement and anticipation. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.