Shai Hope credits mindset shift for T20 batting surge ahead of World Cup

Hope will be leading a solid Windies line-up, though without their top run-getter, Nicholas Pooran (now retired), in the marquee event to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 onwards. The two-time champions are in Group C with England, Nepal, Italy and Scotland and will start off against Scotland in Kolkata on the opening day.

Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, he expressed that he feels his T20 batting is "progressing" and he is "learning a lot every single day." He also emphasised that for him, it is about finding ways to "keep getting better".

"Especially bouncing ideas off some of the other guys in the team - whichever team I play for. I have had the experience of travelling around the world, playing in different leagues, gaining experience - especially in the CPL, with some guys coming from overseas, and just sharing that knowledge," Hope said.

"And it has been helping me a lot, especially with my power game, changing gears, [and] understanding situations a lot better. So I just believe for the last couple of years or so, I've been progressing a lot, trying to add things to my game. And one thing about me is, I always try to find ways to keep getting better. So that's the aim for me right now," he added.

For Hope, it has been a major glow-up in T20s since the start of 2023, scoring 4,189 runs in 143 matches and 141 innings at an average of 34.9 and a strike rate of almost 133 with four centuries and 22 fifties. He has been a part of the global franchise cricket circuit, which has been dominating the calendar since the turn of the decade.

While things have not changed much on the technical front for the Windies veteran, this improvement in numbers has to do with a mindset change and being adaptable as the game evolves.

"I think a lot of it has to do with the mindset. I don't think I changed too much in terms of the technical side of things. It was more of a mindset change, and just being a little bit more adaptable and evolving with the game as well," he said.

"Even the Test game has evolved, and the run rates have increased even more. So I have been just understanding what is required in certain situations and trying to put a bit more pressure back onto the bowlers and not allowing them to settle as much, while still being adaptable in whatever situation you are faced with," the WI Skipper said.

"Because sometimes you will be in the powerplay, three or four down, and you have got to find ways to not allow bowlers to settle and not give them another chance to have more inroads. So understanding when is the right time to go, depending on surfaces, conditions, opposition bowlers - there is so much to it. I think that part of it makes me tick a little bit more," Hope said.

"Just being in the game and being as adaptable as possible has allowed me to progress and be a lot better in the last few years," he continued.

This statistical improvement is also evident in T20Is. From 2017-22, he scored just 304 runs at an average of 17.88 and a strike rate of 121.12 in 19 matches with just two fifties. In the following three years, he cracked 1,099 runs in 39 matches at an average of 35.45, strike rate of over 143, with a century and seven fifties to her name.

On his power-hitting work, Hope said it is difficult to point out one single person who has helped him, with assists coming from reputed cricketers/coaches in franchise/international cricket and from his family too, notably his brother Kyle, who has played five Tests and seven ODIs for the Windies.

"It is difficult to single out anyone in particular because everyone brought something different to my progression and to my game. My brother, Kyle Hope, is in my corner 24x7. Anything that I see or he sees, he is very quick to come to me and say "Okay, maybe you should try this. Maybe you should leave this out," said Hope.

"There are so many other people who have been involved with that progression. Like Daren Sammy [West Indies head coach]. The World Cup Qualifiers in 2023 was when he really came into the position as head coach. We do a lot of striking drills. We started to focus on some of those things. And then our batting coach now, Floyd Reifer. We are all just trying to continue progressing and trying to find ways to help each and every batter, not just myself," he said.

"And then we speak about the different leagues that I play - [being coached by] the Ricky Pontings and the Lance Kluseners. Everyone brought something different to my game, so it's tough to single anyone out. But if I did have to single someone out, it would have to be my brother, because he would have seen things that I do, things that I need to focus on more, [and] things I need to take away from. And it helps he has got some international experience as well," he concluded.

On how franchise cricket has helped him, Hope said that it has given him a lot of experience in different situations and confidence to bank on whenever he puts on the West Indies shirt.

"I am one who always focuses on winning. I know it's a big part of sport. When you play a sport, you want to win. I have been involved with the ILT20 [in 2024-25]. My first time playing and we [Dubai Capitals] won. I got the most runs (527 runs in 12 matches with a century and three fifties) as well in the tournament. So that meant a lot to me, playing against and with some of the best in the world and performing the way I did and helping the team to lift the trophy," Hope said.

"There are so many different things, [like getting] picked for IPL [in 2024]. We all know how big a tournament that is. We [Delhi Capitals] did not get to the latter stages, unfortunately; we just missed out. But the experiences there will live with me forever," he said.

"And then there's the Big Bash. Different conditions once again. So there's so many things that I can pick from."

"And I know for a fact that these things are helping me along in my career - whether it is playing with some of these guys who've been there, done that, or just experiencing some of the conditions. So when we do get on these international tours, from a West Indian standpoint, it always gives me that confidence to know, "Okay, I have done this before, I have experienced this before, so I am ready to go," he concluded.

- ANI