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ए बी डिवीलिएर्स के खेल जीवन को श्रद्धांजलि

एक बार सुनील गावस्कर, सचिन से कुछ बात कर रहे थे और सहवाग वहीं बैठ कर सुन रहे थे। अब सचिन और गावस्कर पढ़े-पढ़ाये-सिखाये गए क्रिकेटर्स और सहवाग का तो आपको पता ही है। बँदा तपाक से कहता है: जब आप लोग क्रिकेट के बारे में बात करते हो तो लगता है कि यह कितना टेढ़ा गेम है, कोई खेल ही नहीं सकता।

तो सहवाग की क्रिकेट फिलॉसफी यही थी कि गेंद देखो और मारो। ना समझ मे आये तो छोड़ दो। सिंपल। अब लारा का भी यही था। गिलक्रिस्ट का भी और एबी डिविलियर्स का भी। कल राहुल ने भी ट्वीट करके कहा कि एबी ने उनसे यही कहा था कि क्रिकेट को बहुत आसान समझकर खेलोगे तो यह खेल तुम्हें बहुत कुछ वापस देगा। अब राहुल का गेम देख लें।

क्रिकेट वाकई आसान खेल है लेकिन बूम बूम बैंग बैंग स्टाइल में। आपको अगर टेस्ट मैच खेलने हैं तो सचिन, गावस्कर, द्रविड़, चंद्रपाल, कैलिस और स्टीव वॉ जैसे इसे 'सीखना' ही होगा। लेकिन अगर एक बँदा जिसने टेस्ट मैच को भी उतनी ही आसानी से खेला जैसे वनडे और टी-20 तो वह डीविलियर्स ही थे। शायद वैसी ऑथोरिटी विवियन रिचर्ड्स के पास ही थी। लोग बैरी रिचर्ड्स की भी बात करते हैं लेकिन यह हमारा दुर्भाग्य है कि हम उन्हें ज्यादा खेलते नहीं देख पाए। अगर आपको उनके बारे में जानना है तो इयान चैपल से बात करिये।

तो कल डिविलियर्स ने विदाई ली। हर्ष भोगले ने कहा कि सही मायनों में अगर कोई लारा का उत्तराधिकारी था तो वह डिविलियर्स ही थे। लारा ने जब संन्यास लिया था तो उन्होंने हाउसफुल प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस में पत्रकारों से पूछा था: क्या मैंने आप सबका मनोरंजन किया? आप सबको इसका जवाब पता है। डिविलियर्स ही वह इकलौता बँदा है जिसे यह प्रश्न पूछने का और वही उत्तर सुनने का सही अधिकार है।

रॉयल सैल्युट@एबी डिविलियर्स

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