Cricket fans, Gqeberha ka mausam kisi suspense movie se kam nahi hai. Toss ke waqt laga ki sab set hai, lekin indra dev ne apni entry aisi maari ki 90 minute ka delay ho gaya. Jab khel shuru hua toh batting ke liye conditions kaafi gloomy thi, par South Africa ke openers ne Australian pace battery ka saamna bade confidence ke saath kiya, jab tak barish ne dobara khel nahi bigada.
The Guru Story
Gqeberha ke overcast conditions mein Pat Cummins ne toss jeeta aur bina soche samjhe bowl karne ka faisla kiya. Lekin asli dhamaka toh team sheet mein tha. Australia ne ek historic faisla lete hue apne legend spinner Nathan Lyon ko bahar baitha diya. 2013 ke baad yeh pehli baar hai jab Lyon fit hote hue bhi Test match ka hissa nahi hain. Unki jagah Scott Boland ko laya gaya hai, matlab Australia pure pace attack ke saath utri hai.
Batting karne utri South Africa ki taraf se Aiden Markram aur debutant Marques Ackerman ne kafi sanbhalkar shuruat ki. Markram ne Mitchell Starc ko do karare boundaries lagakar apne irade saaf kar diye. Dusri taraf Marques Ackerman thoda nervous dikhe aur 14 balls tak unka khata nahi khula tha, lekin ek thick edge ne unhe unka pehla Test run dila diya. Australia ke fast bowlers, khaaskar Starc aur Josh Hazlewood, apne landing area se thode pareshan dikhe aur baar-baar sawdust ki maang karte nazar aaye. Sirf 5.3 overs ka hi khel ho paya tha ki barish ne Early Lunch ka ailaan kar diya.
Yahan ek baat toh saaf hai, Pakistan ke bowlers ki tarah nahi jo har pitch par maar khate hain, yahan condition bowlers ke liye jannat hai par barish ne maza kirkira kar diya. Agar yahi haal raha toh Cummins ka spin-less attack risky sabit ho sakta hai kyunki spin ki zimmedari ab Travis Head aur Marnus Labuschagne jaise part-timers par hai.
Analysis & Numbers
- Nathan Lyon has been dropped for the first time in a Test match since 2013 (when available).
- South Africa's score stands at 11 for 0 in 5.3 overs before rain stopped play.
- Kagiso Rabada returns to the Proteas side, replacing Keshav Maharaj.
- This is the first time Marques Ackerman has opened the batting in his entire first-class career.
The Guru Gyan Verdict:
Australia ka all-pace attack ek dangerous gamble hai. Gqeberha ki pitch agar second innings mein turn lene lagi toh Pat Cummins ko Nathan Lyon ki yaad bahut zor se aayegi. South Africa ke liye Kagiso Rabada ki wapasi ek badi raahat hai. Filhaal, barish ne match ko hold par rakha hai, lekin agar pura din dhul gaya toh Australia ka strategic advantage khatam ho jayega.
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