The <a href="https://cricket.international/good-news-for-india-shubman-gill-cleared-to-play-1st-odi-vs-west-indies/" title="Good news for India: Shubman Gill cleared to play 1st ODI vs <a href="https://cricket.international/where-to-watch-2nd-odi-zimbabwe-women-vs-west-indies-women-live-streaming-details/" title="Where to Watch 2nd ODI – Zimbabwe Women vs West Indies Women? Live Streaming Details”>West Indies“>West Indies National Team will be up against the India National Cricket Team for a three-match ODI series. This is a crucial series for the Windies; ahead of it, captain Shai Hope shared his insights on playing against the Men in Blue on their home soil and also on the team’s preparation for the three-match series.
The West Indies Team in the 50-over format has been struggling as they have lost four out of their last five series that they have played in this format and have to play in the qualifying tournament for the 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup after missing out on automatic top-eight qualification. The two-time champions are winless for nearly two decades against India.
“Playing India in their backyard is always a challenge”: Shai Hope on playing against India
While speaking to the media, Shai Hope stated that playing against India in their own backyard is always difficult, as they are prepared for the challenge and can see where they lie in this format of the game against the No.1 ODI side in the world.
He said, (as quoted by NDTV), “Playing India in their backyard is always a challenge. It’s one that we definitely need to grasp and embrace. It’s a great indicator for us to see where we are as a team,” Hope said in the pre-match press conference.
“But it’s something that we always look forward to when you’re playing international cricket. You want to play against the best in their home conditions, and you get the real test. So, we’re definitely looking forward to it, and it’s going to be an exciting one for us,” he added.
Shai Hope believes that his team is ready to challenge India
Hope feels that playing international cricket is always tough, as they have to adapt to different conditions and play against different opposition, and they can improve against the best side. He feels that everywhere they go, the stats are different and they have not beaten India for 20 years, which is irrelevant as he wants to focus on the present.
“The harsh reality is that almost every series that we go into, those stats are always at the top of the list. We always say we haven’t beaten this team in 20 years or 15 years. It will definitely be adding motivation.
“We know it’s going to be a tough battle, but we’re looking forward to this one,” he said.
“I pride myself a lot on trying to be the best I can be”: Shai Hope on brilliant record against India
Shai Hope has a fantastic record against India as he has scored 988 runs at an average of 47 with three hundreds and five fifties in 26 matches. He revealed the secret to the same, as he tries to focus on small things and gives himself the best chance to score against quality opponents like India and Australia.
Hope added, “I pride myself a lot on trying to be the best I can be. One of those things, you have to be able to adapt to different conditions, and play against different oppositions. It’s not always going to work out. Every day is not going to be your day.”
“But I really try to focus on the fine details to give myself the best chance to score runs. Here in India, you’re going to play differently as if you’re going to in Australia, or even back in the Caribbean. It’s just about being very critical with the way you go about your training and preparation.”
Source: cricketaddictor.com
