Toh yeh hai Indian cricket team ka naya drama – ek tour match jo chupke-chupke, band darwazon ke peechhe khela ja raha hai, jaise koi James Bond movie ka secret mission! Beckenham ke Kent County Cricket Ground mein, India aur India A ke beech yeh char-din ka muqabla shuru ho chuka hai, aur kisi ko andar jhaankne ki ijaazat nahi. Na live streaming, na media, na hi fans ke liye koi ticket – bas ek “black veil of secrecy,” jaise ki ESPN ne kaha. Yeh kya baat hui? World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 ka ek bada series shuru hone wala hai England ke khilaaf, aur humein apni team ke form ka andaaza bhi nahi lagne diya ja raha? Thodi si sharam nahi aati, BCCI?
Par thodi der ke liye is gusse ko side mein rakhte hain. Yeh band darwazon ka muqabla asal mein ek masterstroke bhi ho sakta hai. Head coach Gautam Gambhir, jo European football strategy se inspire hue hain, nahi chahte ki England ke analysts ko Indian players ke tactics ka koi clue mile. Yeh soch toh badi smart hai – thodi si privacy mein apni taiyaari karo, bowlers ko overs do, batsmen ko conditions mein dhalne ka mauka do, aur phir Headingley ke Test match mein dhoom machao! Yeh match 13 se 16 June 2025 tak chalega, aur isme 360 overs ka simulation hoga, jo players ko England ke swinging conditions mein set hone mein madad karega.
Ab thodi baat India A ke baare mein. Yeh team koi chhoti-moti nahi hai – isme players jaise Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, aur Dhruv Jurel hain, jinhone England Lions ke khilaaf apne pehle ke matches mein shandaar performance dikhai. Karun Nair ne toh 259 runs banaye, jisme ek 204 ka bada score bhi tha, aur Dhruv Jurel ne teen half-centuries thok di. KL Rahul bhi apne ek match mein century aur half-century bana chuke hain. Yeh log senior team ke liye asli challenge honge, kyunki inka confidence abhi sky-high hai. Yaad hai na, jab 2018 mein India A ne Australia ke khilaaf warm-up match khela tha, aur uske baad senior team ne 2018-19 Test series mein history rachi thi, Australia ko unke ghar mein hara kar? Aisa hi kuchh in chhote bhaiyon se ummeed hai – senior team ko thok-thak kar taiyaar karo.
Bowling coach Morne Morkel bhi kaafi khush dikh rahe hain. Unhone bcci.tv se kaha, “Do din ki practice ho chuki hai, conditions fast bowlers ke liye perfect hain. Players ka confidence badh raha hai.” Yeh sun kar dil ko thodi tasalli milti hai. Jasprit Bumrah, jo abhi team ke biggest weapon hain, aur Kuldeep Yadav jaise spinners is match mein apni form ko polish kar sakte hain. Yaad hai, jab 2021 mein India ne England mein 2-1 se series lead li thi, aur Bumrah ke jadoo ne England ke batsmen ko pareshan kiya tha? Aisa hi kuchh is baar bhi ho sakta hai, agar yeh intra-squad match team ko rhythm mein laaye.
Par thodi si khundak ab bhi baaki hai. Yeh match agar itna important hai, toh fans ko thodi si jhalak dikhane mein kya harj tha? Ek chhota sa scorecard hi de dete, jaise purane zamane mein hota tha. Ab toh fan-shot videos hi ummeed hain, jaise ek X post mein dikha jisme KL Rahul batting karte hue aur Bumrah-Kuldeep fielding karte nazar aaye. Par yeh bhi verified nahi hai, toh kya fayda? BCCI ka yeh chhup-chhup kar khelne ka style thoda purana nahi lagta? Jab world cricket mein transparency aur fan engagement ki baat hoti hai, toh hum kyun apne players ko chhupa rahe hain? Thodi si openness se shayad team ka morale bhi badhta, aur fans ka excitement bhi. Ab toh bas intezaar karo 20 June ka, jab Headingley mein pehla Test shuru hoga, aur ummeed hai ki yeh “quality energy” wahi dikhegi, warna yeh band darwaze ka drama sirf time waste hi hoga.
