By Lerraine Neo (26A01A) and Michelle Lee (26S07A)
All pictures by Sophia Loh (26S02B) unless stated otherwise.
Victory. A dream that unites all athletes, a goal that spurs them to train harder, play better. For 8 long years, the final trophy has eluded RI’s cricket team. But this year, they’ve brought home the gold. This is how they did it.
Step 1: Keep calm, Carry on
As they step into the venue, a quiet determination settles over the team. It isn’t a loud, self-assured confidence; nor is it a frenzied, careless desperation. They aren’t coming into this as sure-winners, but neither are they resigned to losing.
The calm continues as they begin their warmups, taking turns running between wickets and lobbing balls at each other. They’re relaxed, chatting and laughing as they survey the field, no sign of pressure or the 8-year losing streak weighing them down.
But their calm exterior doesn’t stem from a lack of investment in the game. The RI team was looking to make history, and they needed a clear head to do it.
“This match isn’t about pressure, but opportunity,” Vice-Captain Aarav Sehgal (25S06M) told the team on the bus ride over. “We have the chance to do something very special today.”
Opportunity and chance. Two words that held the weight of all their expectations, all their hopes of emerging victorious. It didn’t matter that they were coming in with a recent loss against ACSI, or that one of the players was just recovering from an injury. This game wasn’t about the past, it was about the future.
“Everything is in our hands. So let’s do it right. The trophy hasn’t been where it should be since 2017. I know none of you will let me down, so let’s go make this count.”
Aarav Sehgal, Vice-Captain
Step 2: Know thy enemy
When it comes to cricket, ACSI is an old rival. For years, the two schools have faced off at NSG finals, with RI walking away empty-handed for the last 8 games.
Even this year, RI had played several games against ACSI–and lost the last 2.
“We had a real wake up call the first time we played [ACSI] in the group stages,” Aarav says. “We lost quite badly, and I think that lit a fire in everyone to show who we can be. Everyone felt like we had a point to prove.”
With so many years of history and rivalry between them, some animosity or distance between the teams would have been understandable. Yet as the ACSI team troops into the venue, they’re greeted with smiles. Handshakes and laughter. Friendly claps on the back.
The chill, relaxed atmosphere doesn’t vanish once the two schools meet each other; if anything, it intensifies. There’s no tension between them, only a casual hello or a private walk around the field together. They may be rivals once the starting ball is bowled, but until then friendship prevails.
Step 3: Assemble the Team
Even more important than knowing your enemy is knowing your own team. No team sport can be won alone, and cricket is no exception.
Before the game, the pressure fell on Team Captain Shreevathsa Chihnan (25S06S) to choose ten other players who would stand by him on the field–the playing 11.
“It was a really tough thing to do,” he admits. “Especially with our team, where everyone deserves a spot in the playing 11. It was a really, really tough decision to pick only 11 [out of 20 team members], because everyone is so talented and at times throughout the season, everyone has performed.”
This particular team has made history once before, clinching the B-Division title in 2023. It was RI’s first win after losing the title in 2017 – incidentally, the same year RI lost the A-Division title. Having defied the odds once, the 2025 team was looking to do so again.
“We’ve had experience winning with the exact same team. Winning is not a new thing for us.”
Shreevathsa Chihnan, Captain
As the game begins, the team’s desire to win manifests in a steely composure as they take their places on the field. RI is fielding first, meaning they won’t be scoring any points during this inning, instead they’ll focus on keeping ACSI from doing so.
A quick aside: The basics of Cricket
In cricket, one team bats while the other fields. When fielding, all 11 players are on the field, looking to minimise the batting team’s points by getting the balls back to the wicket. They can also try to get the batsmen dismissed, either by catching a ball before it hits the ground, or by passing the ball back to the wicket while the batsmen are running between wickets.
The fielding team also includes a bowler–a player who throws the ball towards the batters. If they can hit the wickets and knock them over, they can also get the batsman out.
When batting, only 2 players are on the field at once. Their objective is to bat the ball as far away as possible, in order to make as many runs between wickets as they can. Each successful run counts for one point. If the ball goes beyond the boundary line without bouncing on the ground, the batter scores an automatic 6 points; if it bounces but still goes out of bounds, they receive 4 points.
There is no limit to the number of overs (rounds) a batsman plays. They simply keep going until they are out. The order of batting and fielding is decided by a coin toss, with the winning team picking their preferred role.
More than 11
As the game stretches on, the remaining members of the team–those who aren’t in the final 11–watch with bated breath. They’re mostly quiet, occasionally chatting amongst themselves and cheering whenever one of the ASC(I) batsmen was dismissed.
During one of the calmer moments of the game, Neil Chaturvedi (26S05B) recounts one of his favourite memories with the team, after a losing match against ACSI earlier this season.
“They made 160 runs, and we played really badly,” he says. “So the next training session, we all ran 160 runs between the wickets.”
Despite the physical and mental strain, Neil feels the training brought the team to new heights, and made them stronger and more united as a team.
“We really had to push through together as a team,” he reminisces. “It brought us to where we are now. We lost the second match to ACSI by a much smaller margin as well.”
As another batsman is dismissed, the rest of the team erupts into shouts of “all the way”, a slogan the team has adopted, reminding them to give this final game everything they’ve got, to keep pushing until they’ve hit their limit, and then to push some more. After all, they aren’t just playing for themselves.
“Look around you. You aren’t playing for yourself, but for the brother sitting next to you right now, the brother who gave you advice when it was tough and you were having a bad day, and every single brother who believes in us right now.”
Aarav Sengal, Vice-Captain
Y7 member who has come down to spectate the match reveals a promise the team made last year, “They promised myself and the other seniors that they’d bring (the trophy) home this year.”
“I promised them that last year as well, that I would win it for them,” Vice-Captain Nikhil Arora (25S03I) confessed. “It hurt me that I wasn’t able to bring it home for them.”
Kumar Ashwin, #35: “He gave himself a shot.”
On the outskirts of the field, player #35 sprints after wayward balls, lunging to stop them from crossing the boundary line. Kumar Ashwin, #35 (25S06G) is the first and only player to enter the CCA through RP Trials and make it into the playing 11 in RI Cricket history. Before Ashwin, no RP trial player had made it beyond the team of 20.
Ashwin’s captain and teacher-in-charge were upfront with him—while he might have chances to play in the team of 20, there were no guarantees, especially with a strong returning core from the B Division team. He’d be fighting for a spot with a team that had an extra four years of actual competition experience, with the team that had accomplished the historic B Division win two years ago. Even before making the switch from Scouts to Cricket, he was aware that most of the Year 1-4 team would be following up, but decided to proceed with it because of his love for the sport.
Reflecting on that period, Ashwin admitted, “even a few months before the season started, if anyone told me that I would be in the playing 11, I’d be like [that’s] quite funny, because I didn’t expect it.”
Instead of expecting a spot, Ashwin focused on what he could control. “He didn’t miss a single training, took every training seriously and trained externally during the weekends on his own, and became a player that the team needed and couldn’t play without,” shared Cricket Teacher-in-Charge, Ms Chin. When asked what kept him motivated, he said it was the possibility. The possibility that he could still get into the playing 11 if he put in the hard work.
He also credited getting into the playing 11 to his team. Despite joining a team that had been together through thick and thin for four years, Ashwin didn’t require a transition period nor did he face any problems integrating. His captain, Chihnan, together with the coaches, gave him great motivation and helped him improve in Cricket, helping him keep up with the team and letting him know which direction to work in.
Overall, it was still all about Ashwin giving his best, “giving himself a shot”, – even if he didn’t think he would make it. Him giving himself the opportunity allowed him to eventually become the first RP trial player in RI Cricket to make it into the playing 11, and be a part of yet another historic win by the team, but this time, one that can be considered his own.
Step 4: Think like a Champion
Cricket, like all sports, is a test of both fortitude and skill. For hours, players have to remain vigilant on the field, with the scorching heat at their backs and their opponents before them. There is no room for error, no split second to let your attention stray or your concentration waver. There is only the game.
As the game progresses, exhaustion sets in. Feet begin to hurt, palms grow sweaty, and heads grow heavy with the promise of a migraine. Yet as the RI team begins batting, they stay focused, scoring wicket after wicket.
“For this team, it isn’t a skill set problem, but a mindset problem,” Ms Chin shares. “Unless [they] let that sink in, the result will be tough.”
Cricket is a largely mental game. When both teams are evenly matched in skill, the winner isn’t decided by luck, but by nerves.
“Despite us losing so many finals to ACSI, it’s never been that we are the underdogs,” Chihnan notes. “Most of the time we have a stronger team, but we always crumble under pressure. Today we went in with a stronger mindset.”
And that mindset was paying off. Bat by bat, run by run, RI was slowly creeping up the scoreboard, closer and closer to ACS(I)’s 126. They were playing well. Now all they needed to do was stay calm, and keep playing the way they knew how.
“In the group match against ACS(I), we lost because we choked,” Nikhil adds. “I just want to make sure that does not happen again.”
Step 5: Celebrate
It’s the final few overs. Victory is close, and they know it. The excitement is palpable, evident in the thrumming energy of the crowd, the giddy smiles of the team, the revitalised cheering of the match support contingent.
One good run. That’s all they need.
And as Nikhil takes the field, that’s exactly what they get.
The RI Cricket Team runs over to Nikhil after he makes the winning run.
As the score tips over to RI’s 127 against ACSI’s 126, the cricket team bursts onto the field, their parents not far behind. They meet in the middle of the field, peals of laughter and raucous cheering echoing around them. They raise Nikhil over their heads, tossing him into the air as he grins brighter than the overhead sun.
“It’s really hard to put it in words,” Nikhil comments on his winning run. “It’s something the entire team has wanted for the last 1 or 2 years, something I’ve wanted for the last 6 years. When I came into RI, I envisioned myself doing this; I envisioned the team doing this. And being able to complete the team’s dream–it’s absolutely amazing.”
In those final moments, knowing the fate of the game was in his hands, the pressure was undeniable. But even stronger than his nerves was the belief that he could win.
“I told myself: I’ve practised so intensely for this for such a long time. I knew I could do it if I remained calm and composed.”
Nikhil Arora, Vice-Captain
For Nikhil, the long-awaited win meant he’d finally fulfilled his promise to the Y7s. “I’m definitely going to tell them – this was for them.”
“I’m just happy to see all my guys win,” the Y7 says, smiling. “It was just really wonderful for me to see us finally win after 6 years. I may not have a medal around my neck right now, but it feels like I’ve won.”
As the victory ceremony commences, each team member poses with their new shiny gold medals, beaming at the camera. The ACS(I) players pass on genuine congratulations, fist-bumping and high-fiving the team as they brush past each other.
From there, it’s nothing but smiles, hugs and the occasional tear. The team breaks off, some huddling together as they jump off the excess adrenaline, some running to show their medals to their parents.
The celebration doesn’t end there–after a few rounds of debrief, photo taking, and clean-up, the team heads back to school on the team bus. The doors have barely closed before the singing begins, players and their friends shouting along to a Bluetooth speaker.
Their joy is audible, and the celebration is well-deserved.
List of players
Anbarasan Ajaykrishna (26S02B)
Ankit Rathi (25S03F)
Jhala Hraday (25S06J)
Kathir Sathish (26S06H)
Kumar Ashwin (25S06G)
Mahesvaran Aditya (26S06G)
Mason Arthur Sherry (26S06I)
Nagpaul Vedant (26S06K)
Nanduri Rohan (25S03R)
Neil Chaturvedi (26S05B)
Nikhil Arora, Vice-captain (25S03I)
Ritesh Kesavaraj (26S06S)
Roshan Ravichandran (25S06E)
Sehgal Aarav, Vice-captain (25S06M)
Shlok Mohapatra (25S03M)
Shreevathsa Chihnan, Captain (25S06S)
Vinay Sainath (25S06F)
Yadav Atharv (25S06F)
Yudish Senthilarasu (26S06N)
