The in-form Windies duo of Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope wrapped up their tour to the Indian sub-continent as the leading run-getters of their team, thus entering 2019 — more so the upcoming England tour in January — with much to prove and much responsibility resting on their shoulders.
Both batsmen were standouts during the recent tour to Bangladesh, given the extent of their massive contributions. After losing the Test and ODI series, it was evident that the Windies needed to bat smartly around the two in-form scorers, who have been the leaders for their team in recent runs.
The IPL 2019 bound Shimron Hetmyer, a leading run-getter in the Indian tour, ended the Bangladesh series with 261 runs across all formats of the game, but was outdone by the stylish Bajan right-hander Shai Hope, who racked up 450 runs against the Tigers during some of the toughest times on tour.
Hetmyer was more assertive in the Tests, looking to further establish himself in the longest format of the game as he piled on 222 runs. But a dismal ODI and T20 series accounted for the remaining runs, which showed a dip in scoring by the Guyanese.
Despite not getting out of the blocks in the shorter formats of the game, Hetmyer remains one of the main scorers — along with Hope — for the West Indies in 2018.
Hope certainly put his hand up in the completely opposite role, as he is more renowned as a classical Test batsman, but he sent a strong message during his rapid scoring in the ODIs and T20s, wherein he ended with 114 runs. In the One-Dayers, Hope was savage, hitting 297 runs overall, with two centuries, one of which was a magical 146 not out.
Both batsmen carried the Windies through the hard times in India, and they have both raised their World rankings in Test and ODIs after a stellar patch with the bat. The pair was then tasked with major responsibility for the team’s batting, thanks to the lack of form or to careless batting from their peers.
The England tour will be crucial for both Hope and Hetmyer, their having dominated a strong Indian side before showing their class against the feisty Bangladeshis. The more dangerous England side will prove a big test for the in-form pair, who would want to make a huge impression on home soil.
With his phenomenal scoring, Hope had a good outing against England a while
West Indies’ Shai Hope, right, bats during the second one-day international cricket match between India and West Indies in Visakhapatnam, India, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
ago; while Hetmyer could easily build his immensely growing reputation as a world-class batsman by performing well next year.
With the Joe Root-led England side set to arrive in January for their biggest tour of the Caribbean in decades, West Indies will be desperate to get themselves organised after the holidays and arrival of the New Year. Much will revolve around their younger batters, like Hope; Hetmyer; Guyanese all-rounder Keemo Paul; Kraigg Brathwaite, who was out-of-touch this tour but is still a big player; Nicholas Pooran, who showed glimpses of talent but needs to temper his aggression; and players like Guyanese Chandrapaul Hemraj and Sherfane Rutherford, who constantly drift in and out of the team.
was outdone by the stylish Bajan right-hander Shai Hope, who racked up 450 runs against the Tigers during some of the toughest times on tour.
