sketch prepared by S. Rajnikanth
Shai Hope is just 12 runs shy of completing 1,000 one day international runs against India. Last year, he scored over 800 international runs from just 17 innings, averaging 68, the best he ever has since the start of his international career. From averaging 46 in the maiden year of playing white-ball one day international cricket to averaging a touch under 50 in the format, he has scaled challenges, scored dollops of runs, taken on the best of attacks and added a sense of robustness and compactness to the West Indies’s batting core.
There are batsmen constantly chasing runs. But only a few end up scaling milestones in the process. Shai Hope had scored a hundred in his maiden assignment as the West Indies one-day captain; a staunch 128 (unbeaten runs) that came off just 115 deliveries against South Africa in South Africa would set the perfect tone to a well-fought series. Incidentally, the century opened his campaign in the 50-over format last year. Two more hundreds in the format later that year; a 132 off 129 deliveries against Nepal in the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup qualifiers (at Zimbabwe) and a 109 not out off just 83 odd deliveries.
In between, there came fifties against the likes of Oman, the USA and India last year.
When Shai Hope visited India on his second ever away tour to the land of the subcontinental giant, he whipped an unbeaten 123 off 134 deliveries. This was a day-nighter at Vizag and the Windies, in tough pursuit of a 321, ended up scoring 321, thus tying the match.
The onlookers who were witnessing an arresting inning marked by fluency, great shot selection and a sense of technical virtuosity included Virat Kohli, who’d join hands in admiration watching what was a knock of poise and power.
It’s been a little over six years from that sensational date.
Shai Hope hasn’t changed one bit; except grown in stature as a bat
When it comes down to chasing a big total, he is the West Indies’ anchorman. For instance, it didn’t take him long to score his maiden one day international hundred; chasing 258 against Zimbabwe in 2016, his maiden year of playing the format, Hope responded to a tricky run chase with a strong 101. In that era, Marlon Samuels, Carlos Brathwaite and Jason Holder were still around as regular fixtures. His first three-figure-mark came in just his second ever white-ball ODI inning.
When it comes to posting meaningful team totals, he leads from the front, as he did against Ireland in the year 2019, when against a strong attack featuring Murtagh, Adair, McCarthy and Little, Shai Hope cracked a 170, which still remains his highest individual ODI score. His team would make 381 and he was responsible for a world record opening stand of 365 with John Campbell, the highest opening run stand for the Calypsonians.
As a batsman, Shai Hope combines flair with fluency and throws in the punches with a newly added skill to his growing repertoire: power hitting.
His improved strike rates speak for themselves; in 2022, his S/R was 100, a massive improvement from the previous year’s mark that stood at 74.
His ability to hit lofty blows, something that has been identified as an inveterate Caribbean habit, has only expanded his game, as seen most recently in the 117 that came against England, wherein he took the attack to Adil Rashid and company.
So far, 6 of his 17 ODI tons have come against really tough opponents, including India, England and South Africa. While he needs to really work his game against New Zealand, clearly the team to beat in world cricket at the moment, Hope’s even put Pakistani bowlers to the sword; scoring nearly 300 one day runs from just 7 games.
His maiden assignment to Pakistan resulted in a remarkable century, a 127 off 134 deliveries. He produced an innings of poise and grit at Multan with Shaheen Afrid, Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf colliding with him on ground to stop the Bajan force.
But Hope didn’t budge under pressure.
For someone who announced himself for the West Indies with a gritty 46 in 2016 in Africa to 5,337 one day runs against his name, Hope has emerged as a template of dependability.
Truth be told, it’s the thing his West Indies national cricket team need the most in times mired by dire uncertainty. Times where one remarkable talent too many is often clinched by the rising culture of big-hitting T20 and T10 leagues.
Shai Hope committed to national cause
In times that are about making a lucrative deal, Hope, who also plays in the IPL, PSL and the BPL, and of course, the CPL, prioritises his national team.
He might be born in Barbados, but his first love is Cricket West Indies. It’s something that brings out the best in him.
Look no further than the calendar year 2019, where in one day internationals, he pumped a jaw-dropping 1,345 runs, third best only behind Virat and Rohit, giants of the format.
For someone who was made to bat in the middle order, Shai Hope has matured as an opener with remarkable poise and discipline.
2,600 of his 5300 plus ODI runs have come from this position. He averages 60 as an opener. He also has useful power hitting contributions for his Windies T20I team. Just that the Test credentials need a major overhaul and urgent rework.
Don’t know when that’s going to occur. But the truth really is that a batter like Shai Hope occurs once in a lifetime.
The West Indies must continue to guard their prodigal son. The son, who is the promise of a new batting revolution in West Indies cricket must keep offering Hope to his team that really needs some for an actual turnaround.
Happy 31st, Shai Diego Hope. Keep going.
