England vs West Indies 2nd Test: 5 Talking Points as spectacular Stokes pulls hosts level

#4 Does Dom Sibley deserve the criticism he is getting?

Dom Sibley's first lofted shot resulted in his dismissal

Dominic Sibley dug in in the 1st innings of the Test in what were challenging conditions to bat in, playing 372 balls for his 120 runs. Even after reaching the 3-figure mark, the opener was rather circumspect, causing Michael Holding to comment that the innings was helping rather than harming the West Indian cause, on air.

But was that the case? Sibley was accompanied by Stokes at the crease for a major part of his innings, and the southpaw was undoubtedly the aggressor in the partnership. While Sibley scored only 5 boundaries, his dogged knock all but batted the Windies out of the Test match.

The fact that his strike rate of 32.25 is the fourth-slowest 100+ plus score doesn't make for good reading, and with Rory Burns not the most fluent of batsmen as well, perhaps some of the outrage is justified. But Sibley finally seems to be showing signs of making an opening slot his own, and the only way henceforth is up for the youngster.

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#3 Shai Hope's nightmare run of form continues

Shai Hope has been in abysmal form of late

Shai Hope is the best batsman the West Indies have seen since Shivnarine Chanderpaul, but the classy No. 3 just isn't producing the goods for his side. After his superb knock at Headingley against the same opposition took his team to a famous win in 2017, he was expected to kick on and truly establish himself as the leader of the West Indies batting lineup.

But since February 2019, Hope has scored 111 runs at an average of 12.33. Even tail-ender Kemar Roach has scored more runs at a better average - 114 at 19. Hope has shown a tendency to get stuck on the crease, with both his dismissals in the Test finding him neither forward nor back.

This predicament is not fitting of a top-order Test batsman, especially one who has played over 30 Tests and 75 ODIs for his country. Hope needs to iron out these kinks if he is to truly fulfil his potential in Test cricket, and time is fast running out for him to do so.