Right-handed batsman Shai Diego Hope, from Barbados, made his Test debut against England in 2015, despite having played only 14 first-class matches. His selection followed a standout double century against the Windward Islands in the Regional four-day competition.
Since his first-class debut in 2012/13, Hope caught selectors’ attention with a strong 2014/15 season, finishing as the fourth highest run-scorer with 628 runs in nine matches.
Though he struggled initially—averaging just 16 in his first 10 Tests—Hope faced a tough challenge at Edgbaston under swinging conditions and a pink ball, managing scores of only 15 and 4 during a humiliating loss where West Indies lost 19 wickets in a day.
However, Hope bounced back spectacularly in the next Test at Leeds, helping West Indies chase down 322 runs to beat England in England for the first time in 17 years. His unbeaten century was historic—becoming the first player to score two hundreds in a first-class match at Headingley, Yorkshire, marking his arrival on the international stage and silencing critics.