Ravichandran Ashwin backs West Indies skipper Shai Hope for an IPL contract, identifying defending champions RCB as a potential fit despite concerns over overseas combinations and batting position.
IMAGE: With 261 runs in four innings, Shai Hope is the leading run-scorer in the ongoing India vs West Indies T20I series. Photograph: ANI Photo
Key Points
- Ravichandran Ashwin has backed Shai Hope for an IPL contract, saying the West Indies captain should definitely be picked at this year’s auction and identifying RCB as a possible destination.
- Hope has scored 539 runs across seven innings on the white-ball tour of India, including four centuries and a half-century, with an unbeaten 162 in the ODI series and an unbeaten 102 in the fourth T20I.
- The West Indies skipper has amassed 1,511 runs in T20Is since 2024 at an average of 39.76 and a strike rate close to 149, underlining his transformation in the format.
- Hope’s IPL prospects could depend on finding the right batting position and a franchise’s overseas-player combination, despite his outstanding form and previous stint with Delhi Capitals in 2024.
West Indies captain Shai Hope is making a compelling case for an IPL return with a stunning run of form in India, and former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes the batter deserves another chance in the lucrative league.
Ashwin has backed Hope to be picked at this year’s IPL auction, naming defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as a potential destination, although he acknowledged that overseas-player combinations could limit the demand for the West Indies skipper.
Hope continued his remarkable tour of India with an unbeaten 102 off 50 balls, including four fours and nine sixes, in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad. The century was his fourth on the white-ball tour, following two hundreds each in the ODI and T20I legs.
With two centuries in each format and five other fifty-plus scores across seven matches, Hope has emerged as one of the most prolific batters on the tour.
His performances have also come at a crucial time for the West Indies as they seek to regain their standing in world cricket and qualify for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Ashwin Gives Hope His Backing
Speaking on his YouTube channel ‘Ash ki Baat’, Ashwin said Hope was deserving of an IPL contract and should be picked at the auction.
“Should Shai Hope play in the IPL? Is he deserving? Absolutely. In my mind, he would be a number-one player. Will he be picked in this auction? He definitely should be, and I am hoping he will be,” Ashwin said.
He identified RCB as a possible destination, though the defending champions already have overseas options Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell.
“Bethell batted reasonably well, but do they need to have another option there? Maybe, maybe not,” Ashwin said.
• ‘Whatever I Want…’: Rohit Reveals Secret to Thriving Under Pressure
T20 Numbers Underline Transformation
Hope’s recent T20I record highlights a significant transformation in the format. Between 2017 and 2023, he scored 493 runs in 26 matches at an average of 22.41, with just two half-centuries.
Since 2024, however, he has amassed 1,511 runs in 48 T20Is at an average of 39.76 and a strike rate close to 149, including three centuries and 11 half-centuries. He has also become the fourth West Indies batter to cross 2,000 T20I runs.
Hope is enjoying his best T20I year, having scored 601 runs in 16 innings at an average of 50.08 and a strike rate above 152, with two centuries and four half-centuries.
IPL Role Remains a Challenge
Hope made his IPL debut with Delhi Capitals in 2024, scoring 183 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 150.00. His highest score was 41, and he has yet to establish himself as a regular in the competition.
Ashwin believes finding the right batting position could be a challenge, with several franchises already having their overseas opening combinations settled.
“He will always get a place at number three or four, but is he suited to that role? He is probably not suited to that role, but he is an option,” Ashwin said.
He added that while he hoped a franchise would make a strong bid for Hope, such a move appeared unlikely. Much would depend on the combinations teams seek to build at the auction.
• Too Many Trophies! Shai Hope Faces Luggage Woes
Record-Breaking Tour of India
Hope’s form in India has been exceptional across both formats. He has scored 278 runs in three ODIs at an average of 139.00, including two centuries. His unbeaten 162 in the final ODI in Guwahati was his highest score of the series.
In the T20I leg, he has scored 261 runs in four innings, including two centuries and a half-century, making him the leading run-scorer in the series.
Across all seven innings on the tour, Hope has accumulated 539 runs at an average of 134.75, with four centuries and a half-century.
His wider international record this year is equally impressive. He has scored 1,336 runs in 29 matches at an average of 55.66, including five centuries and seven half-centuries.
Hope has also been prolific against India over his career, scoring 1,961 runs in 45 matches at an average of 47.82, with eight centuries and six half-centuries.
With his form peaking across formats, Hope has strengthened his case for another IPL opportunity. Whether a franchise can find the right role for him, however, remains the key question ahead of the auction.