Shai Hopes to eclipse King Kohli and Rohit

Vizag - Hope scored an unbeaten 102 and carried his bat through in Chennai as West Indies won by eight wickets

West Indies opener Shai Hope is eager to get on top of 2019 run-getters' list in ODIs ahead of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, but first he feels the team needs to win the series as they meet India in the second rubber in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday (12pm UAE Time).
Hope is currently third in the ODI run-getters' list this year with 1225 runs behind Virat Kohli (1292 runs) and Rohit Sharma (1268 runs).
"As a batsman, you want to contribute as much as possible and if it helps the team win, even more satisfying. Hopefully, we can remove them at the top and then get some big runs and get to the top of that run getters list," Hope said on the eve of the match. With the IPL auctions slated in Kolkata on Thursday, Hope was asked if the players in his team will have that in mind while playing the game.
"I am sure it would be, but I am sure that's secondary. We came here to play a series against India so whatever comes secondary is secondary," Hope said.
"I am sure some of the guys will be looking forward to the auction but we have an India series to play and that's the main thing right now," he said.
Hope scored an unbeaten 102 and carried his bat through in Chennai as West Indies won by eight wickets.
"My role was to stay, knock around and not give any wickets. It's about doing what the team requires. If the chase required me to step it up, I can do that as well," said Hope.
On Shimron Hetmyer who cracked a career-best 139, he said: "I think it's difficult for me when you see someone at the other end going so easy. You just want to join the party, but I have to keep reminding myself that I can't let the opposition make inroads. "If one man is attacking at the other end, it's not necessary to have a go if the run-rate is under control. Key is to be aware of what the team needs."
Hope added that the track here would be a challenge for the bowlers. "Looks better for batting. The ball will come on a bit more. I think it will be easier for scoring and bowlers will have more difficult job on this surface," he said.
Kohli's team, on the other hand, face a do-or-die situation on Wednesday. Ahead of the clash, India pacer Deepak Chahar admitted that a below-par performance in the bowling and fielding department cost India the match.
Despite posting 287/8 on a slow track in Chennai, India failed to defend the total as Hetmyer and Hope slammed hundreds to guide Windies to a comfortable win with 13 balls to spare.
Speaking on the eve of the second ODI, Chahar said: "To be honest, we didn't bowl well in the first ODI. Hopefully, if we are in a similar situation in the second ODI, we will have to bowl better as a unit. Fielding has been lacking in the last four matches. We have dropped too many matches. If we drop catches, against these big hitters who try to hit more sixes than boundaries, then it will become very difficult for us. As a fielding unit and bowling unit, we need to improve," he added.
Chahar also revealed he finds ODI cricket a lot tougher than the T20Is and Tests but is trying to improve his ability to bowl in the slog overs, which he feels will make him more effective in the 50-over format.
"I think ODI is the toughest format. In T20Is, you know what to do. Even if you give away 24 runs but don't pick up a wicket, that is still good bowling. In Tests, you have to keep attacking, even if you give away runs but pick up wickets, it's good for the team," Chahar pointed.
"However, in ODIs, you have to mix both -- pick up wickets and contain the runs as well. You have to read the situation really well. You need to understand what the team wants from you."  
You need to assess the batsman and then decide whether to contain or get him out. ODI is more difficult than both formats. I have played a lot of one-day cricket with India 'A' which has helped me.
"In the past, I struggled to bowl in the middle overs. In the powerplay, it's about containing runs, in death, you have to stop batsman going after you. But in the middle overs, I have gotten better. I am learning. I will learn as I progress," the pacer said.