Shivnarine Chanderpaul Lauds West Indies Captain Shai Hope For Calypso’s White-Ball Revival Ahead Of ODI WC

New Delhi, Oct 18: West Indies cricket has rediscovered a measure of its competitive fire, with spirited performances against India in white-ball cricket offering renewed hope for a team seeking to reclaim its stature. Former captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul believes these encouraging displays could prove transformative.

The legendary batter also reflected on Shai Hope's evolution, the challenges facing Test cricket and the growing appeal of legends leagues. West Indies Champions owner Ajay Sethi was also present in the media roundtable.

Shai Hope Leads With Maturity

For Chanderpaul, the emergence of Shai Hope as a commanding presence in the West Indies batting order reflects the value of experience, adaptability and growing self-belief. Having impressed across formats on the India tour, Hope has increasingly demonstrated that he can dictate the tempo of an innings without compromising his technique.

Chanderpaul attributed part of Hope's development to his experience playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors, particularly on the demanding surfaces of Providence.

"If you can score runs consistently in Guyana, particularly at Providence, you can score runs anywhere," he observed, explaining how such conditions help batters develop the ability to counter spin and adjust to different bowling styles.

He also highlighted the contribution of players such as Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Gudakesh Motie and Shamar Joseph, whose experience of varied surfaces has helped sharpen their cricketing instincts.

Yet Chanderpaul was careful not to place the entire burden of West Indies' resurgence on Hope. Rovman Powell and other members of the squad possess the match-winning ability to change the course of a contest, he said.

What particularly impresses Chanderpaul about Hope is his transformation in T20 cricket. Once regarded as a relatively cautious starter, the batter has become more fluent and assured, finding boundaries through timing, placement and sound shot selection rather than indiscriminate aggression.

"He doesn't simply go out and swing blindly. He times the ball well, finds the gaps, and hits boundaries," Chanderpaul said, describing a player who has matured into a more confident and versatile batter.

Windies White-Ball Revival Hinges On 'BELIEF!'

The former captain sees the team's recent competitiveness against India as an important psychological breakthrough. Results matter, but so does the conviction that victory remains within reach, even against opponents with formidable resources and established reputations.

West Indies pushed India hard across the white-ball contests, displaying the talent and resilience that once made Caribbean cricket the benchmark for international excellence. Under Hope's leadership, the side offered glimpses of a collective identity capable of challenging stronger opponents.

"Oh! Definitely. They believe now that they can win matches out there or anywhere, and they've done it," Chanderpaul said. "Once the guys have some success and they can do it, they will definitely back themselves to get the job done."

That renewed confidence, he hopes, will eventually translate into red-ball cricket, where West Indies have struggled to sustain the consistency associated with their illustrious past.

Chanderpaul acknowledged that Test players continue to work hard, despite results falling short of expectations. He pointed to encouraging victories against Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the Caribbean as evidence that progress remains possible, while stressing the need for more consistent performances.

West Indies, he believes, still possess capable players who can deliver results when they perform collectively. Test cricket, too, retains its emotional pull, with supporters across the world continuing to rally behind the Caribbean side.

For a team rebuilding its reputation, the challenge is to convert isolated successes into lasting momentum. The performances against India have offered a foundation, but sustained improvement will depend on consistency, collective responsibility and the confidence to compete without hesitation.

Sethi Backs Future Of Legends Cricket

Ajay Sethi, owner of the West Indies Champions franchise, sees legends cricket as an opportunity to preserve the game's enduring appeal while giving retired players another stage on which to compete. Drawing on relationships with icons including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Viv Richards and Kapil Dev's contemporaries, he emphasised that genuine friendships extend beyond business.

Sethi believes the World Championship of Legends has considerable room to grow, with its blend of nostalgia, rivalry and competitive cricket attracting audiences worldwide. He cited the league's reported 480 million viewers last year as evidence of its reach, adding that returning stars and renewed international rivalries could strengthen its appeal.

For him, the competition offers more than entertainment: it reunites former teammates, sustains their connection with cricket and gives fans another chance to celebrate familiar heroes.