Unka opening partner abhi tak tay nahi hua hai, aur yeh baat team ke liye thodi si chinta ka vishay hai. South Africa ke khilaf 11 se 15 June tak Lord’s mein hone wala yeh final match Australia ke liye ek bada challenge hai. Khawaja ne khud kaha hai, “It doesn’t really change my game too much,” lekin jab team ke top order mein itni uncertainty ho, toh fans aur critics ke man mein sawal uthna swabhavik hai. Kya yeh Australia ke liye ek kamzori banega jab woh South Africa ke shaktishali bowling attack ka samna karenge?
Pichhle kuch saalon mein Australia ka opening combination ek puzzle raha hai. David Warner ke retirement ke baad, team ne alag-alag players jaise Steve Smith aur Nathan McSweeney ko try kiya hai, lekin koi bhi permanent solution nahi mila. Warner aur Khawaja ki jodi ne 2021-23 WTC cycle mein kaafi accha perform kiya tha, jahan Australia ne India ko final mein haraya tha. Us match mein Khawaja ke steady 44 aur Warner ke 66 runs ne team ko ek solid shuruaat di thi. Lekin ab, jab Warner nahi hain, aur Steve Smith jaisa star batsman bhi opening mein struggle kar raha hai, toh team ka balance thoda hilta hua dikh raha hai. South Africa ke bowlers jaise Kagiso Rabada aur Marco Jansen, jo apni pace aur bounce ke liye jane jaate hain, aise mein kisi bhi naye opener ke liye Lord’s ke challenging pitch par khud ko prove karna asaan nahi hoga.
Lekin yeh sab chinta ke bawajood, Khawaja ka confidence dekhne wala hai. Unka yeh kehna ki unka game plan nahi badlega, ek mazboot mindset ko dikhata hai. Khawaja ka career bhi kuch aisa hi raha hai—unhone hamesha challenges ko face kiya hai aur apne aap ko ek reliable Test batsman ke roop mein sthapit kiya hai. 2022 mein jab woh Ashes series ke liye wapas aaye, toh unke twin centuries ne sabko chup kara diya jo unki ability par sawaal utha rahe the. Unka technique, patience, aur focus unhe ek aisa batsman banata hai jo kisi bhi situation mein apna role nibha sakta hai. Khawaja ki yeh consistency hi unhe Australia ke liye ek anchor banati hai, chahe unka partner koi bhi ho. Is WTC cycle mein bhi, unhone 1,200 se zyada runs banaye hain, jo unki dependability ko dikhata hai.
Aur yeh sirf Khawaja ki baat nahi hai—Australia ka team hamesha se apni resilience ke liye jana jata hai. Yaad kijiye 2005 ka Ashes, jab England ne Australia ko hara diya tha, lekin uske bawajood Australia ne agle series mein wapas apna domination dikhaya. Is baar bhi, Pat Cummins ki captaincy mein, team ke paas Travis Head, Steve Smith, aur Mitchell Starc jaise players hain jo game ko palat sakte hain. South Africa ke liye bhi yeh final ek bada mauka hai, lekin unke liye bhi Lord’s ke conditions mein adapt karna asaan nahi hoga. Khawaja ka yeh belief ki woh apne game par focus karenge, team ke liye ek bada boost hai. Agar Australia ka middle order aur bowlers apna kaam karein, toh opening pair ka yeh confusion shayad utna bada issue na bane.
Phir bhi, kuch sawal abhi bhi baaki hain. Opening partner ka yeh uncertainty ek risky gamble hai, khaas karke jab South Africa ke paas Rabada jaise world-class bowler hain, jo 2019 World Cup mein Australia ke top order ko tabah kar chuke hain. Agar Australia ka top order shuru mein hi girta hai, toh middle order par zyada pressure aayega, aur yeh unke liye costly ho sakta hai. Khawaja ka confidence toh theek hai, lekin team management ko yeh tay karna hoga ki kya woh ek naye player ke saath risk le ya phir Steve Smith jaisa experienced batsman hi sahi rahega. Yeh final na sirf Australia ke liye, balki Khawaja ke liye bhi ek bada test hoga—kya woh apne baaton ko ground par prove kar payenge, ya phir opening ka yeh sawaal unke liye ek nayi pareshani banega?
