Standby was a dangerous word.
It lived in the space between hope and frustration, where momentum could either sharpen or slip. Zayn Rahman understood that better than most. Being close to England meant scrutiny without security. Every run now meant more. Every failure echoed louder.
Lancashire's schedule didn't pause to accommodate England's indecision.
A Championship fixture at Chelmsford arrived under flat skies and a surface that looked innocent but played slow. Essex were disciplined, experienced, and happy to grind. Simon Harmer's name alone carried weight.
Zayn opened again.
The first session was uneventful. He settled, left well, rotated strike. But Harmer came on earlier than expected, exploiting rough already visible outside off stump.
Zayn misread one. Just slightly. The ball dipped, gripped, and turned past his inside edge.
Bowled.
Twenty-one.
The walk back felt longer than usual.
The system reacted immediately.
[Form Deviation: Detected]
[Technical Adjustment Required]
Zayn didn't sulk. He never did. He reviewed the footage that evening, isolating the flaw. Front foot planted a fraction too early. Weight distribution off.
Small error. Big consequences.
The white-ball fixtures that followed offered no refuge.
A Blast match against Somerset at Taunton became another test. A ground where runs flowed easily—if you forced them.
Zayn tried to impose himself early. Too early.
He edged a wide delivery attempting to manufacture pace.
Nine.
The crowd roared. The noise followed him back to the dugout.
The system didn't hide it.
[Confidence Stability: Under Review]
For the first time all season, doubt crept in. Not panic. Doubt. The most corrosive kind.
With the ball, he pulled things back. Two tight overs. One wicket. Useful, but not enough to erase the batting failure.
The headlines shifted tone.
RAHMAN'S FORM DIPS AT WRONG TIME
VERSATILITY OR DILUTION?
Zayn stopped reading.
At practice the next day, he stayed late. Longer than usual. Shadow batting. Bowling until the physio insisted he stop.
Jimmy Anderson's template wasn't about constant success. It was about adjustment.
He reminded himself of that.
The next opportunity came quickly. A one-day match against Hampshire at Southampton. Cloud cover. Swing conditions.
Zayn opened again, aware that patience—not redemption—was required.
He started slowly. Almost painfully so. Singles felt hard-earned. The crowd murmured.
Then he found rhythm. A controlled push. A late cut. A drive that stayed down and split the infield.
Fifty arrived quietly.
With the ball, he bowled first change. Two wickets in quick succession, both caught behind.
The system pulsed.
[Recovery Phase: Successful]
[Mental Resilience: Confirmed]
That evening, his phone buzzed.
Lauren Bell.
Saw the scorecard. That's how you respond.
Zayn replied.
Still learning how.
That's the point, she sent back.
Simple. Supportive. No expectations attached.
The England decision didn't come immediately. Standby remained standby.
But something changed.
At Old Trafford the following week, Lancashire hosted Surrey under bright skies. A high-profile fixture. Selectors present.
Zayn walked out knowing this wasn't about erasing mistakes. It was about showing control.
He played the innings of his season.
One hundred and twelve. Eight hours. No risks. No drama. Just relentless correctness.
When he raised his bat, the applause was unmistakable.
With the ball, he bowled unchanged late on day three, removing Ollie Pope with one that curved in and straightened late.
The system responded decisively.
[Performance Reset: Complete]
[Ashes Trajectory: Reaffirmed]
As stumps were called, Zayn sat alone in the dressing room, hands resting on his knees.
Form cracked.
He hadn't.
That was the difference.
End of Chapter 5
Author's Comment
Chapter 5 introduces the first genuine dip in form to test Zayn's mental framework. His response—technical adjustment and patience—reinforces his long-term Ashes and all-format ambition. Romance remains understated, serving as quiet emotional grounding rather than distraction.