The gates of the National Training Camp didn't welcome players.
They challenged them.
Steel arches towered above the entryway, engraved with three simple words:
"Only Pressure Reveals Truth."
Raj stepped through without pausing.No entourage.No selfie stops.
Just his kit bag slung over one shoulder and his stitched flame gloves clutched quietly in hand.
Inside, the atmosphere was already electric.
Everywhere he turned, national-level prodigies filled the training lanes.
Names whispered across stadiums.Faces seen on junior magazine covers.
Some flaunted their titles.Others gathered with fan groups.And a few already eyed the cameras positioned near the media zone.
A voice called out behind him.
"Hey! That's the silent one, right?"
Raj didn't turn.But he felt the gaze.
One tall batter -- Rahul Yadunath, ranked #3 in national junior T20s ,smirked and nudged his friend.
"I bet he's good at mime but useless under pressure."
