Following India’s impressive total, captain Shai Hope led from the front with an unbeaten 162, leading the West Indies to an unforgettable victory.
The West Indies captain’s batting feat was all the more remarkable because it occurred after he had been on the field keeping wickets for the whole Indian innings.
Sammy complimented, commenting, “The skipper stepping up is not anything new to him, but to keep 50 overs and then put on your pads and go and play an innings like that was special.”
In anticipation of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which starts in less than a year, the West Indies head coach was happy with how his squad performed against the top-ranked team in the world, emphasizing the importance of the experience.
“We came here knowing the quality that India has and to measure ourselves against a team like that.
“We showed that when we do things consistently well for long enough, we could match the number one team in the world. We will take a lot of learning from this.”
Sammy also discussed Hope’s leadership approach, characterizing the right-hander as someone who takes charge of his performances and speaks firmly when necessary.
When Sammy asked Hope to open the innings during the chase, it was clear that he was willing to accept responsibility. To end the chase, the captain answered with a knock that would define the game.
“He doesn’t really say much. But when he speaks, he’s quite clear as to what he’s expecting from himself and from the group.”
Sammy added, “I don’t think he gets enough credit for what he’s done for West Indies, how he’s played, and the commitment he’s given us. Class player, great individual.”
In light of the difficulty of chasing a large total against India, Sammy also praised his hitters for sticking to the team’s strategy of forming partnerships and batting deep.
In addition to Hope’s 278 runs over the course of the three ODIs, Amir Jangoo scored three fifty-plus runs during the series, amassing 239 for himself, while John Campbell amassed 173 runs with a century.
“Even with a batter short, we knew what we’ve been talking in the dressing room about: batter scoring hundreds and batting deep, putting on partnerships, not losing wickets in clusters.
“Once we did that, we had a very strong chance of winning. It’s such a tough place to defend. You’ve got to be confident that whatever the opposition gets on the surface, you can get it too.”
In a similar vein, Hope shared an intriguing conversation he had with the legendary MS Dhoni of India during a post-match talk with the broadcasters, which altered his perspective on chasing large totals.
“I had a great chat with the great man MS Dhoni, he was telling you always have more time than you think,” Hope remarked, adding, “Just trying not to focus too much on the end result. Just look at the process, try to break the game down as best as I can and find ways to get the boundaries in the back end.”
A five-match Twenty20 International series between the two teams will start in Lucknow on Tuesday, October 6.
