Shai Hope ready to do it all again in Test Cricket as he wants to make an impact in the longest format again.
Shai Hope wasn’t particularly motivated to return to Test cricket, but now that he’s back for the first time since 2021, he’s prepared to dedicate himself to a new era under new skipper Roston Chase.
After Kraigg Brathwaite resigned, Hope, who captains the West Indies in both white-ball forms, was asked to interview for the position of Test captain. However, he refused to be included in the process, citing the workload of playing in three formats as a contributing factor. He also mentioned this in discussions with head coach Daren Sammy over a comeback to the Test team.
To further complicate his recall, Hope was selected to start as the chosen keeper for the first Test match against Australia in Barbados. This is only the third time he has done so, despite the fact that he frequently fills the position in limited-overs cricket.
“Representing West Indies, they always give me a lot of joy and pride,” Hope told ESPNcricinfo in Barbados. “I think that was the main focus, just being able to represent the region and bring my impact on the game and obviously the transfer of that inspiration back into the next generation.
“I’m happy to be back. It’s not something I would say I was looking forward to in terms of, ‘I have to play Test cricket again’. But if the opportunity came, I would always be willing to take it.
“I believe if I’m doing something, I’m committed to it,” he added. “So if I decided to come back and play Test cricket, my main focus would be to give it my all. If success is there or not, the decision to leave me in or include me, that’s up to the decision makers. But, yes, as long as I’m being committed to the task at hand, I think I’m going to give my all.”