Australia ke is kaptaan ne 6 wickets lekar na sirf South Africa ko 138 runs par samet diya, balki apne 300 Test wickets ka milestone bhi poora kiya. Yeh karnaama unhe aathwa Australian bowler banata hai jisne yeh sankhya chhui, lekin is safar mein South Africa ke khiladiyon ka sangharsh bhi kam nahi tha. Kagiso Rabada, David Bedingham aur Temba Bavuma jaise khiladiyon ne apni koshish se maidaan garam rakha, par Cummins ke saamne unki ek na chali. Yeh match South Africa ke liye ek aur mauka tha apna pehla ICC trophy jeetne ka, lekin Cummins ke 6/28 ne unke sapne ko jhatka diya.
Cummins ka yeh pradarshan sirf sankhyao tak seemit nahi tha. Unke 6/28 ke aanke Lord’s par kisi bhi Test kaptaan ke sabse behtareen bowling figures bane. Isse pehle yeh record kisi aur ke naam nahi tha, aur yeh dikhaata hai ki Cummins kitne zabardast form mein hain. Unhone South Africa ke shuruaati chaar wickets jaldi giraye, jismein Temba Bavuma ka shandaar catch Marnus Labuschagne ne liya. Kyle Verreynne aur Marco Jansen ko ek hi over mein out karke Cummins ne apna darr dikhaya, aur aakhir mein Rabada ka wicket unke 300th Test wicket ke roop mein aaya. Yeh pal unke liye vyaktigat roop se bada tha, kyunki woh apne parivaar ke saamne yeh milestone haasil kar rahe the. Unhone kaha, “Yeh kaafi badi baat hai, khaas kar jab parivaar yahan hai. 300 wickets kisi bhi fast bowler ke liye bada number hai, chot aur niggles ke bawajood itna lamba khelna khushi deta hai.”
Lekin South Africa ke liye yeh match abhi bhi khatam nahi hua tha. Unke pace bowler Kagiso Rabada ne pehle din apne 17th Test five-wicket haul ke saath Australia ko 212 par rok diya tha. Rabada, jo khud 327 Test wickets ke saath South Africa ke all-time list mein paanchve sthaan par hain, ne dikha diya ki woh bhi kisi se kam nahi. Unka 5/52 ka pradarshan 2022 mein England ke khilaaf Lord’s par kiye gaye pradarshan ki yaad dilaata hai, jahan unhone ‘Bazball’ ko dhwasth kiya tha. Rabada ke saath Marco Jansen ne bhi apna yogdaan diya, jinhone Travis Head aur Marnus Labuschagne jaise bade khiladiyon ko out kiya. South Africa ke in bowlers ne yeh saabit kiya ki woh defending champions Australia ke saamne ladne ka dum rakhte hain.
Cummins ke 300 wickets ka yeh milestone unhe ek elite club mein shamil karta hai, jismein Shane Warne (708), Glenn McGrath (563), Nathan Lyon (553), Mitchell Starc (384), Dennis Lillee (355), Mitchell Johnson (313), aur Brett Lee (310) jaise naam shamil hain. Ismein koi shak nahi ki Cummins ka strike-rate (13,725 balls mein 300 wickets) Rabada, Dale Steyn, aur Waqar Younis ke peeche chautha sabse behtar hai. Lekin yeh bhi yaad rakhna zaroori hai ki South Africa ke bowlers, khaaskar Rabada, apne aap mein ek bada khatra hain. Rabada ke paas Lord’s ke maidaan par pehle se hi ek five-wicket haul hai, aur woh Allan Donald ke 330 wickets ke record ke kareeb pahunch rahe hain.
Is match ki baat karein toh South Africa ke liye David Bedingham ek ummeed ki kiran rahe. Unhone WTC cycle mein 645 runs banaye, jismein New Zealand ke khilaaf ek shatak shamil hai. Bedingham ka English domestic cricket mein bhi shandaar pradarshan raha, jahan unhone County Championship ke Division One mein sabse zyada runs banaye. Unka 279 runs ka score Durham ke first-class history ka sabse bada score tha. Lekin Cummins ke saamne unka bhi koi jawab nahi tha, jab unki ek ball unke bat ke bahri kinaare ko chhukar chali gayi. Yeh yaad dilata hai 2019 Ashes ke us pal ka, jab Ben Stokes ne Headingley mein Australia ke haathon se jeet chheeni thi, lekin us din South Africa ke paas aisa koi hero nahi tha.
Australia ke bowling attack ki baat karein toh yeh pehli baar hua ki ek Test team ke paas teen bowlers (Cummins, Starc, aur Lyon) 300 ya usse zyada wickets ke saath khel rahe hain. Josh Hazlewood bhi 280 wickets ke saath is club ke kareeb hain. Yeh ‘Awesome Foursome’ Australia ke liye ek bada asset hai, jaisa ki 1989 mein England ke bowling attack ne Australia ke khilaaf The Oval par kiya tha, jahan unke bowlers ke paas sabse zyada Test wickets the. Lekin South Africa ke liye yeh ek chunauti hai, kyunki unke paas bhi Rabada, Jansen, aur Lungi Ngidi jaise bowlers hain, jo kisi bhi waqt match ka rukh badal sakte hain.
Yeh match South Africa ke liye ek bada mauka tha apni pehli WTC trophy jeetne ka. Unhone apne last saat Test matches jeete the, jo unki shandaar form ko dikhata hai. Lekin Cummins ke is pradarshan ne unke sapne par paani pher diya. Unhone na sirf South Africa ki batting ko dhwasth kiya, balki apne aap ko ek aur bade stage par saabit kiya. Yeh pal 2023 WTC final ki yaad dilata hai, jahan Travis Head ke 163 runs ne India ke khilaaf Australia ko jeet dilayi thi. Us din India ke fans ke dil toote the, aur aaj South Africa ke fans ke saath bhi wahi haal hai.
Lekin yeh kahani yahin khatam nahi hoti. South Africa ke paas abhi bhi mauka hai apni doosri innings mein wapas aane ka. Rabada ne pehle hi dikha diya hai ki woh Australia ke top-order ko hila sakte hain, jaisa ki unhone Usman Khawaja aur Cameron Green ko ek hi over mein out kiya. Lekin Cummins aur unke bowlers ka yeh form South Africa ke liye ek bada sar dard hai. Lord’s ka yeh maidaan, jahan 148 saal ke Test cricket ke itihas mein Cummins ne ek naya record banaya, ab South Africa ke liye ek kathor pariksha ban chuka hai. Kya woh is chunauti ka saamna kar payenge, ya Cummins aur Australia ek baar phir unke sapno ko choor kar denge? Yeh sawal abhi bhi baaki hai.
