Kohli, jo ek run-machine hain, unki jagah lena koi asaan baat nahi. Matthew Hayden, jo khud ek Australian legend hain, ne jab kaha ki ek naye khiladi ko Kohli ki jagah No. 4 par “custom-made” ke taur par dekha ja sakta hai, toh yeh sunke thodi si hairani hui. Aakhir kaun hai yeh khiladi jo itne bade naam ke saath tukkar karega? Aur kya sach mein koi Kohli ke barabar aa sakta hai jab baat Test cricket ki ho? Yeh sawal dil ko chhoo jata hai, kyunki Kohli ka stature itna bada hai ki unki kami mehsoos hoti hai.
Lekin chalo, thodi der ke liye is baat par gaur karte hain. Hayden ka ishara hai Shreyas Iyer ki taraf, ek aisa khiladi jo apne aggressive batting aur solid technique ke liye jana jata hai. Iyer ne apne Test career mein ab tak 14 matches khele hain, aur unka average 36 ke kareeb hai, jo bura nahi hai, lekin Kohli ke 50+ ke average ke saamne yeh thoda kam lagta hai. Par yahan baat sirf numbers ki nahi hai. Iyer ka style, unka temperament, aur unki ability to handle pressure situations unhe ek alag pehchan dete hain. Yaad karo 2021 ka Gabba Test, jab India ne Australia ko usi ke ghar mein hara diya tha. Us match mein Rishabh Pant ki aggressive batting ne sabka dil jeet liya, lekin Shreyas Iyer jaisa khiladi bhi aise mauke par chamak sakta hai. Iyer ne domestic cricket mein apni consistency dikhayi hai, aur Ranji Trophy mein unke performances ne yeh saabit kiya hai ki wo lambi race ka ghoda ban sakte hain.
Ab thodi si baat optimism ki taraf le jate hain. Shreyas Iyer ka No. 4 par khelna ek naya moka ho sakta hai. Jab Hayden jaisa experienced khiladi kehta hai ki Iyer “custom-made” hai, toh isme kuch baat toh hai. Iyer ke paas wo flair hai jo crowd ko khada kar deta hai. Unki ability to play spin aur pace dono hi shandaar hai, jo England ke conditions mein kaam aa sakti hai. England ke against 2021-22 series mein, India ne 2-2 se draw kiya tha, aur usme Kohli ke saath saath dusre khiladion ne bhi apna yogdaan diya tha. Iyer ke paas wo dum hai ki wo Nathan Lyon jaisa spinner ho ya James Anderson jaisa pacer, unka saamna kar sake. Uska confidence aur chhoti umar ek nayi energy la sakti hai team mein, jo shayad Kohli ke aggressive leadership ke bagair bhi kaam kar jaye. Iyer ke paas wo spark hai jo ek underdog team ko aage le ja sakta hai, aur India ko ek aisa khiladi chahiye jo na sirf run banaye, balki team ka morale bhi upar rakhe.
Lekin yahan ek baat dil mein chubhti hai. Kya Iyer sach mein Kohli ke barabar aa sakte hain? Kohli ne 113 Tests mein 8,848 runs banaye hain, 29 centuries ke saath. Unka presence hi bowlers ke liye darr ka sabab hai. Iyer ke paas abhi wo experience nahi hai, na hi wo consistency jo Kohli ne barson mein banayi hai. England ke challenging conditions mein, jahan ball swing karti hai aur pitch unpredictable hoti hai, kya Iyer wo dum dikha payega? 2018 ke England tour mein India 4-1 se hara tha, aur wahan Kohli ke alawa koi bhi batsman consistently nahi chal paya. Iyer ke liye yeh ek bada test hoga, aur agar wo isme fail hue, toh shayad Hayden ka yeh bold statement thoda sa khokhla lagne lagega. Cricket ek aisa khel hai jahan ek match hero bana deta hai, aur ek match zero. Iyer ke paas moka hai, lekin sawaal yeh hai ki kya wo iska fayda utha payenge?
