Jab baat World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 ki ho, toh dil mein ek sarsarahat si hoti hai. Australia, defending champions, ek baar phir Lord’s ke maidan par apna jhanda gaadne ke liye taiyaar hain. Par is baar unke samne hain South Africa, jo pehli baar WTC final mein kadam rakh rahe hain. Aakash Chopra ne toh seedha bol diya – “Pat Cummins is the biggest threat for SA.” Aur yeh baat bilkul bhi galat nahi lagti jab aap Australia ke is kaptaan ki form aur history dekhte hain. Lekin kya South Africa ke paas jawab hai? Chaliye, iski gehraai mein jate hain.
Australia ka dabdaba aur Cummins ka darr
Australia ki team ko dekhkar lagta hai jaise woh kisi bhi maidan par, kisi bhi din, kisi bhi team ko hara sakte hain. Pat Cummins, unka kaptaan aur pace spearhead, ek aisa naam hai jo har batsman ke dil mein thodi si khauf paida karta hai. 2023 WTC Final mein India ke khilaaf Cummins ne apni bowling se kamaal kiya tha, 4 wickets leke India ke top order ko jhatke diye. Us match mein Travis Head ke saath unki partnership ne bhi Australia ko 209 run se jeet dilayi thi. Lord’s ke maidan par bhi Cummins ka record shandaar hai – 2 Test matches mein 10 wickets, average sirf 21.10 ka. Yeh numbers batate hain ki Cummins na sirf ek bowler hain, balki ek match-winner hain jo apni team ko har haal mein sambhal sakte hain.
Cummins ki strength sirf unki bowling nahi, balki unki leadership bhi hai. Aakash Chopra ne Star Sports par kaha, “Cummins ek aisa leader hai jo team ko ek saath rakhta hai. Woh jab bhi partnership banta hai, usse todne ka dum rakhta hai, aur neeche ke order mein batting bhi karta hai.”. Yeh baat bilkul sahi hai – Cummins ne 2023 ODI World Cup final mein India ke khilaaf 2 wickets liye aur ek chhoti si, par match badalne wali, 28 run ki innings kheli thi. South Africa ke liye yeh ek bada challenge hai, kyunki Cummins na sirf wickets lete hain, balki pressure ke moments mein apni team ko sambhalte bhi hain.
South Africa ka junoon aur ummeed
Lekin yahan baat thodi si badalti hai. South Africa, jo kabhi Test cricket mein number one team rahi hai, ab ek nayi energy ke saath maidan par utar rahi hai. Temba Bavuma ki captaincy mein yeh team apne aap ko ek underdog ke roop mein dekh rahi hai, aur shayad yahi unki taakat hai. South Africa ne is WTC cycle mein 7 out of 8 matches jeete hain, jo unki consistency dikhata hai. Unka bowling attack, jisme Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, aur Keshav Maharaj jaise naam hain, kisi bhi batting line-up ko dhamki de sakta hai. Rabada ka Lord’s par record bhi kamaal ka hai – 2 matches mein 13 wickets, average 19.38. Yeh numbers batate hain ki South Africa ke paas bhi woh firepower hai jo Australia ke batsmen, jaise Steve Smith aur Travis Head, ko pareshan kar sakti hai.
South Africa ke liye ek bada advantage hai unka fighting spirit. 2022 mein Lord’s par unhone England ko ek innings aur 12 runs se hara diya tha, jab Rabada ne 5 wickets liye aur Keshav Maharaj ne apni spin se support kiya. Yeh jeet dikhati hai ki South Africa English conditions mein bhi apna jadoo chala sakti hai. Temba Bavuma, jo khud ek experienced batsman hain, ne 2017 mein Lord’s par ek half-century banayi thi. Unki team ka yeh pehla WTC final hai, aur woh is mauke ko haathon se jaane nahi dena chahte. Keshav Maharaj ne kaha bhi tha, “Hum apne legends jaise Graeme Smith ke kadmon par chalna chahte hain aur yeh mace jeetna chahte hain.”. Yeh jazba dikhata hai ki South Africa apne aap ko chhota nahi samajhti, chahe samne kitni bhi badi team ho.
Key battles aur chhoti si ummeed
WTC Final 2025 mein kuch player battles dilchasp hone wale hain. Ek taraf Cummins honge, jo Bavuma ke khilaaf apni pace aur bounce ka istemaal karenge. Lord’s ka pitch, jo seamers ke liye favorable hota hai, Cummins ke liye ek aur hathiyar hoga. Dusri taraf, Rabada aur Jansen ka challenge hoga Travis Head ke khilaaf, jo bade matches mein bade runs banane ke liye jaane jate hain. Head ne 2023 WTC Final mein India ke khilaaf century banayi thi, aur woh Lord’s par bhi apna form jari rakhna chahenge. Lekin South Africa ke paas Maharaj jaise spinner hain, jo Nathan Lyon ke khilaaf ek spin battle chhed sakte hain. Yeh chhoti-chhoti ladaiyan match ka rukh badal sakti hain.
South Africa ke liye yeh match ek sapne jaisa hai. Unhone apne recent performances se dikha diya hai ki woh kisi bhi team ko hara sakte hain. Bangladesh aur Sri Lanka ke khilaaf unki 2-0 se jeet ne unka confidence badhaya hai. Aakash Chopra ne yeh bhi kaha tha ki South Africa ka yahan tak pahunchna ek badi baat hai, kyunki unhone New Zealand ke khilaaf apni B-team bheji thi aur phir bhi final mein jagah banayi. Yeh dikhata hai ki unki bench strength bhi kaafi acchi hai. Agar woh Australia ke pace attack ko jhel lete hain, toh unke batsmen, jaise Aiden Markram aur Kyle Verreynne, bade runs bana sakte hain.
Aakhiri challenge
Lekin chaliye, thodi si reality check ki baat karte hain. Australia ki team ek machine ki tarah kaam karti hai. Cummins ke saath Josh Hazlewood aur Mitchell Starc jaise bowlers hain, jinka Test record shandaar hai. Hazlewood ne Lord’s par 13 wickets liye hain, aur Starc ke paas 382 Test wickets hain. Steve Smith, jo Test cricket ka ek maahir hai, England mein 525 runs bana chuka hai, jisme 2 centuries shamil hain. South Africa ke liye in giants ko rokna asaan nahi hoga. Agar unka top order jaldi gir gaya, toh recovery karna mushkil ho sakta hai, khaas kar jab Cummins aur Nathan Lyon apne full form mein honge.
Phir bhi, South Africa ke paas ek mauka hai apne aap ko duniya ke samne saabit karne ka. Yeh unka pehla WTC final hai, aur woh isse ek yaadgaar jeet mein badalna chahte hain. Lekin Cummins ka threat aur Australia ka experience unke liye ek bada pahaad hai. Kya South Africa is challenge ko paar kar payegi, ya phir Australia ek baar phir apna dabdaba kaayam karegi? Yeh match sirf skills ka nahi, balki jazba aur strategy ka bhi imtehaan hoga.
