South Africa ke batsman Aiden Markram ka kehna hai ki do-Test series khelna WTC cycle ke dauraan final ke liye behtar taiyaari kar sakta hai. Lekin yeh baat dil mein ek chhoti si chubhan bhi chhod jaati hai, kyunki South Africa ka WTC final mein safar kabhi aasaan nahi raha. Pichhle do finals mein, 2019 aur 2021 mein, South Africa ko hamesha shikast ka saamna karna pada. Unke performances mein kami nahi thi, lekin Australia aur New Zealand jaise teams ke saamne unki ek chhoti si galti bhi bhaari pad gayi. Jaise 2021 mein, jab Kane Williamson aur Ross Taylor ne New Zealand ke liye ek chhoti lekin mazboot partnership banayi, South Africa ke bowlers ke saare prayas dhare ke dhare reh gaye. Yeh yaadein ab bhi South African fans ke dil mein ek dard sa jaga deti hain.
Lekin Markram ka yeh bayan ek nayi roshni bhi dikhaata hai. Unka kehna hai ki do-Test series khelne se team ko ek rhythm milta hai, jo final ke liye bahut zaroori hai. “There’s no second dip at it. We have to make sure we hit the ground running and are nice and sharp come day one,” unhone kaha. Yeh baat bilkul sahi hai. Ek Test match ke baad doosra Test khelna team ko ek flow deta hai, jisse players apni form aur strategy ko aur behtar kar sakte hain. Isse na sirf batting aur bowling mein consistency aati hai, balki fielding aur team spirit bhi mazboot hoti hai. Sochiye, jab India ne 2021 mein Australia ke khilaaf Gabba mein jeet haasil ki thi, toh usse pehle unhone do-Test series mein apni taiyaari ko itna mazboot kiya tha ki unka confidence charam seema par tha. Rishabh Pant ki woh 89 run ki innings, jo unhone Australia ke bowlers ke saamne kheli, usne dikha diya ki ek acchi taiyaari kya rang la sakti hai. Markram ka yeh vichaar isi tarah South Africa ke liye ek nayi ummeed jagaata hai.
Markram ka yeh bhi maan na hai ki South Africa ke players ko apne past ke failures ko bhool kar nayi shuruaat karni hogi. Unhone kaha, “We’ve buried the past,” aur yeh baat ek nayi energy laati hai. South Africa ke liye yeh mauka hai ki woh apne aap ko duniya ke saamne naye roop mein pesh karein. Jaise West Indies ne 1983 World Cup mein India ke khilaaf haarne ke baad bhi apni taakat dikhaayi thi, waise hi South Africa ke paas mauka hai ki woh apne purane darr ko peechhe chhod de. Aiden Markram khud ek aise player hain jo pressure mein bhi apna dum dikha sakte hain. Unki 2023 WTC cycle mein 145 runs ki innings South Africa ke liye ek yaadgaar pal tha, jab unhone Australia ke khilaaf Centurion mein apni team ko mushkil se nikaala tha. Aise performances South Africa ke fans ko yakeen dilate hain ki yeh team badi jeet ke kabil hai.
Lekin phir bhi, ek baat dil ko chhoo jaati hai. WTC final jaise bade mauke par sirf taiyaari hi kaafi nahi hoti. Ek chhoti si galti, ek missed catch ya ek galat shot, sab kuch badal sakta hai. Yaad hai 2007 ka T20 World Cup, jab Misbah-ul-Haq ka ek galat scoop shot Pakistan ko jeet se door le gaya? South Africa ke saath bhi aisa hi kuchh ho sakta hai. Markram ka yeh bayan kitna bhi ummeed jagaye, lekin cricket ke is bade stage par koi bhi team, kitni bhi taiyaari ke saath aaye, pressure ke saamne woh ek pal ke liye bhi chook sakti hai. Australia jaise team ke khilaaf, jinhone Pat Cummins aur Steve Smith jaise players ke saath bar bar apni taakat dikhaayi hai, South Africa ko na sirf apni strategy, balki apne dil aur dimag ko bhi ekdum perfect rakhna hoga. Kya woh yeh kar paayenge? Yeh sawal ab bhi bana hua hai.
