Hope springs on wait and deliver
VISAKHAPATNAM:ENGLAND may like to associate Headingley with Ben Stokes’ sensational knock to fashioned a great Ashes Test victory in August. But two summers ago, Shai Hope had achieved what no one else had in 534 first-class matches at Leeds—score a hundred in both innings of the Test.
It wasn’t something Hope didn’t expect from himself, after a rather lacklustre start to his Test career. Just four seasons old in 2017, Hope’s unbeaten 118 in the second innings helped West Indies beat England for the first time in 17 years, and pull level in the series after a threeday dismantling in Birmingham.
Currently third in the ODI scorers’ list for this year with 1225 runs, behind Virat Kohli (1292 runs) and Rohit Sharma (1268 runs), Hope has been coming up the ranks quickly. A penchant to carry the bat has only made him one to watch out. But it’s difficult these days to thrive purely on grit. Strike rates can be telling, but Hope doesn’t mind even if it’s the middling 60s in a one-dayer in 2019.
“I’m pacing my innings to my team’s requirement,” the 26-year-old Barbados batsman said here on Tuesday, ahead of the second ODI against India.
“As a batsman, you want to contribute as much as possible and if it helps the team win it’s even more satisfying. When you have to chase only 280, we have to make sure everyone’s on the same page. My role is to stay at one end, knock around the bowlers, and not give them any wicket. That’s my role in the team. If the chase requires me to step it up, I can do that. So I just hope to play what the team requires.”
Hope was unbeaten on 102 after raising a 218-run partnership with Hetmyer, who hit a career-best 139 in the eightwicket win in Chennai on Saturday.
Still wobbly in Tests, West Indies could do with some more characters like Hope who are willing to buckle down and grind out phases of hostile bowling, a la Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Playing second fiddle wasn’t easy when Shimron Hetmyer was going hammer and tongs in Chennai on Saturday. He knew seeing West Indies home was a job no one else could have pulled off, especially at a time when batsmen are not known to be patient.
Hope spoke of the temptation to break loose but knew it wasn’t in the best interests of the team to go all guns blazing from both ends. “It’s difficult for me when you see someone at the other end going so easy. You just want to join the party but I have to keep reminding myself that I can’t let the opposition make inroads,” he said. “If one man is attacking at the other end, it’s not necessary to have a go if the run rate is under control. Key is to be aware of what the team needs.”
Back in the West Indies, patience is a trait not appreciated enough. Cricket’s on the fast lane there, and plum T20 contracts the finish line. Hope, true to his character, didn’t look too excited at the prospect of bagging a good deal at Thursday’s IPL auctions as he was about beating India at home.
“I am sure some of the guys will be looking forward to the auctions but we have an India series to play and that’s the main thing right now.”