Cricket ki duniya mein jab bhi Bazball ka naam aata hai, kuch na kuch toofani hona pakka hota hai. Ab England ke head coach Brendon McCullum ne ek aisa faisla liya hai jo fans ko thoda hairan zaroor kar sakta hai. Agle hafte New Zealand ke khilaf hone wale pehle Test match se pehle batting order mein ek bada swap dekhne ko milne wala hai. Captain Ben Stokes ab No. 7 par nazar aayenge, jabki young talent Jamie Smith ko unki jagah No. 6 par promote kiya ja raha hai. Yeh koi achanak liya gaya faisla nahi hai, balki iske peeche ek gehri strategy hai.
The Inner Story : Kyu ho raha hai yeh swap?
Is badlav ka sabse bada kaaran Ben Stokes ki batting form aur unka bowling ki taraf badhta jhukav hai. Pichli Ashes series mein Stokes ka balla bilkul khamosh raha tha. Wahi dusri taraf, Jamie Smith ne jab se international cricket mein kadam rakha hai, unhone apni batting se sabko prabhavit kiya hai. Surrey ke liye khelte hue unhone No. 3 par bhi damdar centuries lagayi hain, isliye Brendon McCullum ko lagta hai ki Smith No. 6 par zyada effective sabit honge.
Lekin kahani sirf batting tak hi mahdood nahi hai. Ben Stokes ab full-time allrounder wale avatar mein vapas aana chahte hain. Adductor injury aur uske baad ek ajeeb net incident mein broken cheekbone ki wajah se wo kafi waqt tak pareshan rahe, lekin ab wo Durham ke liye naya ball thame nazar aa rahe hain. Iska saaf matlab hai ki wo bowling mein zyada mehnat karna chahte hain, isliye batting order mein neeche aakar apne workload ko manage kar rahe hain.
Sath hi, spinner Shoaib Bashir ki bhi team mein vapasi hone wali hai. Ashes mein bahar baithne ke baad, Bashir ab fir se spin department ko lead karenge. Jacob Bethell bhi injury ke baad fit ho chuke hain aur unka No. 3 par khelna tay hai. Yeh dekhna dilchasp hoga ki England vs New Zealand ki is bhidant mein yeh nayi strategy kitni kaam aati hai.
Analysis & Numbers : Stats ki Jubani
- Ben Stokes ne pichli Ashes mein sirf 18.40 ki average se runs banaye the, jo unke stature ke hisab se kafi kam hai.
- Halanki batting kharab thi, lekin bowling mein Stokes ne 25.13 ki average se 15 wickets jhatke, jo unki bowling dominance ko dikhata hai.
- Jamie Smith ka Test average filhal 41.48 hai aur unhone domestic season mein 50.00 ki average se runs kute hain.
- Shoaib Bashir ne apne chote se career mein ab tak 68 wickets liye hain aur wo ek baar fir se match-winner banne ko taiyar hain.
The Guru Gyan Verdict:
Stokes ka No. 7 par jana ek kafi Calculated Risk hai. Jab aapka Captain bowling par focus karna chahta ho, toh use batting order mein thoda saans lene ka mauka dena bura idea nahi hai. Jamie Smith ki form solid hai aur wo is promotion ke haqdaar hain. England ki yeh flexibility hi unhe dangerous banati hai. Agar yehi situation Pakistan mein hoti, toh ab tak 4 naye selectors aur 2 naye captain badal chuke hote aur PCB mein halla mach gaya hota! England jaanti hai ki kab kis player ko kahan fit karna hai. New Zealand ke liye yeh ek badi chunauti hone wali hai kyunki No. 7 par ek aggressive Stokes kisi bhi team ke liye nightmare ho sakta hai.
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