Headingley was a long time ago
Shai Hope press conference 16.06.2020
Shai Hope is back in England to make a statement and consign Headingley 2017 to history.
They say the best test batsmen are defined by seminal innings, the emphasis being on the plural.
For Shai Hope, five years into his test career, there is a definite sense of disappointment that he is still spoken of in reference to his exploits at Headingley alone.
He made history in 2017 compiling those back to back hundreds but it hasn’t proved to be the launching pad it should have been.
33 Test innings later and Hope has only contributed another three test 50s to the West Indian cause.
One could point to the fact that as a Test number three, in a brittle West Indian top order, Hope often faces the new ball before the end of the first session but this isn’t something the talented Bajan hides behind.
“My job is to bat and to make sure those batting below me don’t have so much work to do” said Hope in today’s media call.
With the absence of Shimron Hetmyer and the experienced Darren Bravo, Hope acknowledges that it is up to the likes of him and Kraigg Braithwaite to return to form if the West Indies are to do well.
“We know we are missing some key players on the tour and we may miss the type of performances they are capable of putting in but cricket is played on the day. We (the senior batsmen) have to put runs on the board and give our bowlers a chance to defend totals”
Given Hope’s exemplary record in ODI cricket, averaging 52 from 78 matches and named in the ICC 2019 ODI team of the year. This isn’t a simple case of poor form in cricket but a failure to replicate his limited overs form.
A run machine in ODI cricket
Whilst Hope acknowledges this to be the case he doesn’t believe this is something that requires major surgery vis-à-vis his approach to test cricket.
“At the moment I score more runs in ODIs than I do tests, red ball is my favourite part of the game but I recognise I have to score more in tests. I don’t think this is something beyond a few tweaks in the technical side of my game. The mental side of the game (in tests) is something I am moreso looking to improve as a way to bridge the gap”.
Hope may well accept that his test career has stalled since 2017 but he is confident that he can turn that around on this tour.
If the old adage rings true that ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’ then Hope should be ready to write a new script this summer.