Aiden Markram, South Africa ka woh opener jisko shayad Australia ne thodi si halke mein liya tha jab woh Lord’s ke maidaan par utra. Ek duck ke baad, jahan koi bhi batsman apne aap par shak karne lagta hai, Markram ne apni class dikhai. Haan, Australia ke bowlers, jinke naam se hi dil dhadakta hai – Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood – in sabko ek hi innings mein chup kara diya. Lekin yeh kahani sirf runs ki nahi hai; yeh hai us lambi chal ka, jab Markram ne apne 136 runs ke saath na sirf South Africa ko World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 ka title dilaya, balki Australia ke dil mein ek sannaata chhod diya.
Pehle din ka dhokha
Haan, pehle din jab Markram duck par out hua, toh Australia ke khilaadiyon ke chehron par ek thodi si muskurahat thi. Mitchell Starc ne jab uski stumps udayi, toh laga jaise South Africa ka yeh nayaa hero shayad bada match ka pressure jhel nahi payega. Yeh wahi Australia thi jiske paas ek se ek badhiya bowler hain, jinhone 2023 WTC final mein India ko haraaya tha. Us match mein Jasprit Bumrah aur Mohammed Shami ke saamne Steve Smith aur Travis Head ne aise khela tha jaise woh koi video game khel rahe hon. Lekin 2025 mein Lord’s ke maidaan par, South Africa ke liye yeh kahani kuch aur hi thi.
Markram ka duck shayad Australia ke liye ek chhota jeet ka pal tha, lekin yeh bhi ek tarah ka dhokha tha. Kyunki jab woh doosre innings mein utra, toh uske dil mein kuch aur hi aag thi. Yeh wahi aag thi jo 1998 mein South Africa ke ICC KnockOut Trophy jeetne ke waqt dikhi thi, jab Hansie Cronje ne apni team ko ek nayi ummeed di thi. Markram ka yeh safar bhi usi tarah ka tha – ek chhoti si haar ke baad ek badi jeet ka vaada.
Tufaan ka aaghaaz
Jab Markram ne apna bat uthaya, toh laga jaise woh nahi, balki South Africa ka poora cricket itihas maidaan par hai. Chasing 282 runs, jo ki Lord’s ke pressure mein koi chhoti baat nahi, Markram ne apna khel shuru kiya. Uske saath captain Temba Bavuma, jo khud ek hamstring injury se joojh rahe the, lekin phir bhi maidaan par dat gaye. In dono ne mil kar ek 147-run ki partnership banayi, jo shayad South Africa ke cricket itihas ka sabse bada turning point tha. Yeh wahi partnership thi jisme Markram ne apne 136 runs banaye, aur Australia ke bowlers, jo pehle din itra rahe the, ab chupchap apne run-up par ja rahe the.
Yeh pal yaad dilata hai 2003 World Cup ke us match ka jab South Africa ke Shaun Pollock aur Mark Boucher ne Sri Lanka ke khilaaf ek impossible chase ko almost possible kar diya tha, lekin end mein woh choke kar gaye. Us din South Africa ke fans ke dil toot gaye the, lekin 2025 mein Markram ne un toote dilon ko jod diya. Har ek shot, har ek cover drive, har ek pull shot ke saath, Markram ne Australia ke bowlers ko ek sabaq sikhaya – ki South Africa ab woh team nahi jo pressure mein toot jaati hai.
X par ek post mein ICC ne likha, “Aiden Markram rose to the occasion at Lord’s with a century for the ages 💯”. Yeh century na sirf runs ka tha, balki ek poore desh ke cricket passion ka prateek tha. Markram ne khud kaha, “Lord’s is the place every Test cricketer wants to play.”. Aur usne yeh baat apne khel se saabit kar di.
Australia ka toota dil
Jab Markram apne 100 ke kareeb tha, toh Lord’s ka maidaan ek alag hi rang mein tha. Har ek run ke saath South Africa ke fans ka josh badh raha tha, aur Australia ke chehre latak rahe the. Yeh wahi Australia thi jiske paas Nathan Lyon jaise spinner hain, jinhone 2021 mein England ke khilaaf Ashes mein ek session mein hi match ka rukh badal diya tha. Lekin yahan, Markram ke saamne Lyon bhi bebas laga. Ek pal aisa aaya jab Markram ne Hazlewood ki ek short ball ko mid-wicket par khela, aur Travis Head ne ek shandaar catch liya. Markram 136 par out hua, jab South Africa ko sirf 6 runs chahiye the. Lekin tab tak Australia jaan chuka tha ki match haath se nikal chuka hai.
Yeh pal thodi si udaasi ka tha, kyuki Markram khud chahta tha ki woh winning run ke liye maidaan par rahe. Lekin jab Kyle Verreynne ne Mitchell Starc ki ek full toss ko cover drive kiya, toh Lord’s ka maidaan ek jashn mein doob gaya. South Africa ne 27 saal baad ek ICC trophy jeeti, aur Markram ka naam uske hero ke roop mein likha gaya. Yeh wahi pal tha jab Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers jaise purane khilaadi, jo maidaan ke baahar the, apne aansuon ko nahi rok paye.
Ek nayi shuruaat
Markram ki yeh innings sirf ek match jeetne ki nahi thi. Yeh ek nayi shuruaat thi South Africa ke cricket ke liye. Unke coach Shukri Conrad ne kaha, “Aiden and Temba didn’t give us a chance. SA showed why they’re here and are deserved winners.”. Markram ne khud kaha ki yeh jeet South Africa ke liye hai, unke fans ke liye, aur un bacchon ke liye jo Test cricket ko apna sapna banayein.. Yeh wahi baat thi jo Sachin Tendulkar ne 2011 World Cup jeetne ke baad kahi thi – ki yeh jeet sirf team ke liye nahi, balki poore desh ke liye hai.
Markram ki yeh innings yaad dilati hai Brian Lara ki us 153* ki, jo 1999 mein Australia ke khilaaf West Indies ke liye ek miracle chase tha. Us waqt bhi West Indies ko koi chance nahi diya ja raha tha, lekin Lara ne apne aap par bharosa rakha. Markram ne bhi wahi kiya – jab sab kuch khatam lagne laga, tab usne apne bat se ek nayi kahani likhi.
