Toh, South Africa ne Lungi Ngidi ko chun liya World Test Championship (WTC) final ke liye, aur logon ne naak-muh sikodna shuru kar diya. “Arre, yeh kyun? Dane Paterson kahan hai?” – aise sawal uth rahe the jaise ki team select karna koi Twitter poll ho! Critics bol rahe the ki Ngidi ka selection ek “tactical blunder” hai, ya phir “transformation” ke naam pe ek aur controversial call. Day one pe jab Ngidi ne 8 overs mein 45 runs de maare, bina koi wicket liye, toh logon ke muh se “bas yahi hona tha” nikalne laga. Dale Steyn jaise legend ne bhi kaha ki Ngidi ka run-up “pedestrian” hai, aur unki bowling mein consistency nahi hai. Haan, bhai, thoda dramatic toh banta hai jab baat Lord’s ke iconic maidan ki ho.
Lekin day two pe, Ngidi ne sab critics ke muh pe taala laga diya. Ek 9-over ka spell, jo unka Test career ka doosra sabse lamba spell tha, aur usme 3 wickets ke liye sirf 35 runs diye. Yeh koi mazak nahi tha – unhone Australia ke bade-bade batsmen ko dhool chata di. Steve Smith, jo pehle innings mein unke liye headache bana tha, ko LBW kiya. Beau Webster bhi LBW, aur Pat Cummins ko ek zabardast yorker pe clean bowled. Australia 48 for 3 se 73 for 7 tak dhasak gaya, aur South Africa match mein wapas aa gaya. Ngidi ka yeh performance yaad dila deta hai 2018 ka, jab unhone apne Test debut pe India ke against Centurion mein 6 wickets liye the, jisme Virat Kohli ka prized scalp bhi shamil tha. Woh bhi kya din tha jab ek naye ladke ne sabko chaunka diya.
Ngidi ka yeh dhamaka sirf unke skill ka jawab nahi tha, balki unki mental strength ka bhi saboot tha. Day one ke baad, jab sab unpar transformation ke tag laga rahe the – yaad hai na, 2015 World Cup ka woh Philander-Abbott controversy? – Ngidi ne kisi ke baaton mein nahi aaye. Unhone ek simple si trick apnayi: bowling end badal diya, Nursery End se bowling ki, aur bas, game badal gaya. Unki lines tight ho gayi, lengths perfect, aur energy itni ki lag raha tha ki woh poora din bowl kar denge. Teammate David Bedingham ne kaha, “Lungi’s a chilled guy,” aur yeh baat unki strength hai. Pressure mein bhi woh relax rehte hain, aur yeh wahi quality hai jo 2003 World Cup mein Shaun Pollock ne dikhayi thi jab unhone England ke against 5 wickets chataak se liye the.
Ngidi ke is performance ne South Africa ke coach Shukri Conrad ke gamble ko bhi justify kar diya. Temba Bavuma ne kaha tha ki Ngidi ko unki pace aur extra bounce ke liye chuna gaya, aur unhone bilkul wahi deliver kiya. Yeh performance dekhkar lagta hai ki South Africa ka pace attack, jisme Kagiso Rabada aur Marco Jansen jaise naye stars hain, Australia ke top order ko hila sakta hai. Rabada toh waise bhi Lord’s pe apna naam honours board pe likh chuka hai 2022 mein England ke khilaf, jab unhone ek match-winning five-wicket haul liya tha. Ngidi ka yeh burst usi tarah ka game-changer ho sakta hai, aur shayad South Africa ko woh elusive ICC trophy dila de, jo 1998 ke baad se unke haath nahi lagi.
Lekin thodi si chinta toh banta hai. Ngidi ka injury history koi chhota nahi hai – 2023 World Cup mein ankle injury, 2024 mein groin issue, aur abhi bhi unki fitness ek question mark hai. Day two ke baad jab woh fielding ke liye ball ke peechhe daude, toh thakan saaf dikh rahi thi. Ek overpitched ball aur do edges jo short reh gaye, yeh dikhata hai ki thakan unki accuracy pe asar daal sakti hai. Agar South Africa ko yeh match jeetna hai, toh Ngidi ko apni energy manage karni hogi, warna yeh dhamaka shayad ek flash in the pan ban ke reh jaaye. Aur haan, Dane Paterson ke fans abhi bhi bolenge, “Arre, humne toh kaha tha!”
