Temba Bavuma Lord’s ke maidan par dard se karah rahe the, toh laga tha ki bas ab yeh retire hurt hi kar lenge. Ek hamstring injury, jo unhe har kadam par satati thi, aur phir bhi yeh banda maidan par datkar khada raha. South Africa ke batting coach Ashwell Prince ne kaha, “Temba is tough,” aur yeh baat bilkul sach thi. Par yeh sochne wali baat hai ki kya is zidd ne team ko fayda diya ya nuksaan? Chalo, thodi der ke liye is baat ko pakadte hain aur dekhte hain ki Temba ki yeh dileri kahan se aayi aur kya iska asli matlab hai.
Temba Bavuma, South Africa ke pehle black African Test captain, hamesha se hi apne career mein ladte aaye hain. 2014 mein jab unhone debut kiya, toh unpar quota player ka tag laga tha, jaise ki unki jagah sirf naam ke liye di gayi ho. Par unhone 2016 mein England ke khilaaf Cape Town mein shandaar Test century thokkar sabki bolti band kar di. Yeh wahi waqt tha jab unhone dikhaya ki woh sirf ek naam ya symbol nahi, balki ek asli match-winner hain. Lekin injury unka peechha nahi chhodti. 2021 mein Sri Lanka ke khilaaf thumb injury, 2022 mein elbow injury, aur ab 2025 mein World Test Championship (WTC) final ke dauraan yeh hamstring ka dard. Har baar jab lagta hai ki Temba apne peak par hain, koi na koi chot unhe rok leti hai.
Lord’s ke maidan par, jab South Africa 282 runs ke target ka peecha kar raha tha, Temba ne Aiden Markram ke saath milkar ek aisi partnership banayi jo shayad match ka turning point ban gaya. Temba 6 runs par the jab unhe injury hui, aur team management ko yeh faisla lena tha ki kya unhe maidan chhodna chahiye. Markram, jo khud ek shandaar century bana chuke the, ne Temba ko rokne ka faisla kiya. Prince ne kaha, “It was a big call because of how it could affect Temba’s stroke-play and Aiden’s rhythm.” Par Temba ne dard ko gale lagaya aur 65 not out tak pahunch gaye, jab tak South Africa 213/2 par khada tha, sirf 69 runs ki doori par jeet se. Yeh partnership na sirf runs ka hisaab rakhti thi, balki team ke jazbe ko bhi dikhati thi.
Yeh baat yaad dilati hai 1999 World Cup ke semi-final ki, jab South Africa ke Lance Klusener aur Allan Donald ne Australia ke khilaaf ek dilchasp match khela tha. Woh match tie ho gaya tha, par South Africa haar gayi thi net run rate ki wajah se. Us waqt bhi team ne apni puri taakat jhonk di thi, par kismat ne saath nahi diya. Temba ki yeh innings usi tarah ki lagaav aur junoon ka prateek hai, jo South Africa ke cricket fans ke dil mein jagah banati hai.
Ab thodi tareef karte hain. Temba ki yeh innings sirf unki zimmedari ko nahi, balki unke leadership ko bhi darshati hai. X par ek user ne likha, “Temba Bavuma gets to his fifty & is playing a masterclass at Lord’s with an injured leg.” Yeh baat dikhati hai ki fans bhi unki himmat ko salute kar rahe hain. Temba ne na sirf apne liye, balki apne team ke liye bhi yeh dikhaya ki woh ek aise leader hain jo har mushkil mein saath dete hain. Unki yeh kabiliyat unhe South Africa ke cricket itihas mein ek alag jagah dilati hai. Jab unhone 2021 mein T20 World Cup mein team ko lead kiya, toh unhone 91 runs banaye 30.33 ke average se, jo koi chhota score nahi tha.
Par yahan thoda sa twist hai. Temba ki yeh zidd kya sach mein team ke liye best thi? Ek X post mein kisi ne kaha, “Wonder if Bavuma should retire hurt. Get Stubbs in while conditions are still batting conducive.” Yeh sawal uthata hai ki kya Temba ka maidan par rehna Markram ke rhythm ko kharab kar sakta tha? Cricket ek team game hai, aur kabhi-kabhi ek player ka hero banne ka junoon team ke liye thoda costly bhi ho sakta hai. 2023 World Cup mein bhi Temba ka form unke injuries ke wajah se dikh nahi paya, jab unhone 145 runs hi banaye 18 ke average se. Agar Temba retire hurt ho jate, toh shayad Tristan Stubbs jaisa young player mauka pa sakta tha, jo abhi tak apne aap ko prove kar raha hai.
Toh yeh hai Temba Bavuma ki kahani – ek aisa player jo dard mein bhi ladta hai, par shayad kabhi-kabhi uski yeh zidd uske aur team ke raaste mein rukavat bhi ban jati hai. Lord’s ke maidan par unki yeh innings yaad rahegi, par sawaal yeh hai ki kya yeh jeet South Africa ko ek trophy dilayegi, ya phir ek aur kahani ban kar reh jayegi jismein woh kareeb aakar bhi haar gaye?
