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Left-hander Shimron Hetmyer has been recalled to the ODI side to face India. (CMC)
CMC – Captain Shai Hope has warmly embraced the return of Shimron Hetmyer, labelling the enigmatic left-hander as an “impact player” and an asset to the West Indies lineup.
Hetmyer has not played international cricket since his controversial omission for last year’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia, but has been recalled by selectors for the three-match one-day series against India bowling off here Thursday.
“Anytime Shimron is around, you know there is going to be a lot more depth in the batting department,” Hope told reporters here Wednesday.
“And especially a guy like him who can transform any batting lineup, take the attack to the bowlers, and he can be a real impact player for us and it’s great to see him back.”
Hetmyer made headlines for all the wrong reasons last year when he was picked in the T20 World Cup squad but was then axed by selectors after missing a rescheduled flight from his native Guyana.
The 26-year-old, who has played only franchise cricket since, has also not featured in One-Day Internationals in two years.
His average of 35 from 47 ODIs with five hundreds, however, makes Hetmyer as one of the most experienced players in the squad, especially with fellow left-hander Nicholas Pooran “unavailable” for the series, while plying his trade in the inaugural Major League Cricket tournament in the United States.
With West Indies undergoing a rebuild following their shocking failure at the ICC World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe last month, Hope said competition for places in the squad would be critical going forward.
And an indication of this competition, Hope pointed out, was the fact seasoned all-rounder Roston Chase remained on the fringes of the side, despite his obvious quality.
“He brings a lot to the team actually, so having him on the sidelines means we’re moving in the right direction in terms of the personnel – everyone is pushing for selection, everyone is pushing for spots,” Hope said of the 31-year-old Chase, who was part of the recent white-ball camp staged in Barbados.
“And someone like him, he brings his athleticism in the field and he also has that batting.
“To have him on the sidelines, we know it’s not a walk in the park for anyone. Again, he’s someone we can move forward with in the long run.”
He continued: “Everyone has a part to play in this long process. Gudakesh (Motie) who has been in and out of the team because of injury but now it’s another opportunity to see what he can do on the world stage.
“We know what Akeal (Hosein) can do, so having both of them in our arsenal is great for us.”
Hosein was part of the squad for the failed qualifying campaign but has missed out on selection for the India series while fellow left-arm spinner Motie, whose last ODI was a year ago, has been recalled after recovering from injury.
Without a World Cup campaign to negotiate later this year, Hope said it was important West Indies balanced their squad development with a desire to win, in the buildup to the 2027 showpiece in Africa.
“It’s a tricky one for us because as much as we would want to win, you have to look at the long term goal which would be the next World Cup,” said the elegant strokemaker, who took over the reins of the side earlier this year.
“We’ve got to expect that everything can’t happen overnight especially now when you’ve got a few new faces and some ones coming back into the limelight.
“So we’ve got to find that balance but the aim is always to win; as long as we cross that line, the aim is to win games for West Indies and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
