Teen mahine tak unhone bat nahi uthaya, na koi shadow batting ki, na hi kisi cricket ball ko chhua. Australia ke is batting maestro ke liye, jo apne obsessive batting routine ke liye jaane jaate hain, yeh break ek shock jaisa tha. Champions Trophy 2023 ke baad, jab India ke khilaaf semi-final mein Australia haari, Smith ne ODI cricket se retirement le liya. Unka aakhri ODI score 73 runs tha, lekin woh match haarne ka gham unhe ab bhi satata hai. Itna lamba break, jab World Test Championship (WTC) final jaise bade mauke ke liye taiyaari karni thi, shayad unke career ke liye risk bhara faisla lagta hai.
Lekin yeh break Smith ke liye ek nayi shuruaat bhi bana. New York mein apne ghar par unhone cricket se door rehkar apne aap ko refresh kiya. Beckenham ke nets mein do sessions ke baad, Smith ne apni rhythm wapas paa li. Unka kehna hai, “Mujhe bat ghar mein kahi pada hua mil sakta tha, lekin maine jaan bujhkar usse door raha. Yeh mera time tha, aur yeh acha laga.” Yeh break unke liye ek mental reset tha, jo shayad unhe Lord’s ke bade stage ke liye taiyaar kar gaya. Smith ka England mein record dekhein toh unka average 55 hai, aur Lord’s par toh 58.33, jahan unhone 9 innings mein 525 runs banaye, jisme 2 centuries shamil hain. 2015 mein unhone 215 runs ki ek yaadgaar inning kheli, aur 2023 mein bhi ek ton banaya tha. Yeh numbers batate hain ki Smith jab England mein khelte hain, toh unka bat ek alag hi jadoo karta hai.
Smith ki yeh hunger unhe Lord’s ke liye ek dangerous player banati hai. Australia ke captain Pat Cummins ne confirm kiya hai ki Smith WTC final mein number 4 par batting karenge, jahan unhone 120 Test innings mein 6,531 runs banaye hain 61.61 average ke saath, jisme 23 centuries aur 26 fifties hain. Yeh position unke liye perfect hai, jahan woh game ko control kar sakte hain. Cummins ka yeh faisla batata hai ki team Smith par kitna bharosa karti hai, khas kar jab baat South Africa ke khilaaf WTC final ki ho, jo 11 June se Lord’s mein shuru hoga. Smith ka Lord’s ke saath ek special connection hai – woh isse apna favorite ground kehte hain, aur is maidaan par unki consistency kisi bhi bowler ke liye nightmare ho sakti hai.
Is WTC final mein Smith ke saath Australia ke baki players bhi crucial honge. Cameron Green, jo 16 mahine baad Test cricket mein wapas aa rahe hain, ek flexible batsman hain jo number 4 ya neeche bhi khel sakte hain. Green ke Gloucestershire ke liye county cricket mein century ne sabko impress kiya hai. Usman Khawaja opener ke roop mein solid hain, lekin Marnus Labuschagne ka form thoda sa chinta ka vishay hai, jaisa ki Aaron Finch ne apne analysis mein kaha tha. South Africa ki team bhi kam nahi hai – Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj aur Temba Bavuma jaise experienced players unke liye challenge ban sakte hain. Yeh match ek epic battle hone wala hai, jahan Smith ka experience aur hunger game changer ho sakta hai.
Lekin cricket ek unpredictable game hai. Smith ka recent break unhe fresh toh karega, lekin kya woh usi rhythm mein wapas aa payenge jisme woh pehle the? Lord’s ke pressure cooker environment mein, jahan har run aur har wicket ke liye ladna padta hai, Smith ka mental toughness test hoga. Unka past record toh shandaar hai, lekin agar woh early wickets girne par struggle karein, toh Australia ke liye mushkil ho sakti hai. 2023 Ashes mein bhi Smith ke kuch performances unke apne standards se neeche the, jaisa ki unhone khud admit kiya tha. Kya yeh break unhe ek nayi energy dega, ya fir unki timing aur focus par asar dalega? Yeh sawal ab bhi bana hua hai, aur jawab sirf Lord’s ke maidaan par hi milega.
