OTD| West Indies’ destructive left-hander Shimron Hetmyer was born in 1996

The West Indian cricketer from Guyana, Shimron Hetmyer, is celebrating his 27th birthday today. The elegant left-hander is a curious case of “promise not being delivered” because the young hard-hitting batter has shown on various occasions that he is capable of doing a lot more than what he is delivering currently. Hetmyer is one of the most talented young cricketers around the globe and he will be a mainstay for West Indies once he realizes his potential. 

Shimron Hetmyer made his international debut in a Test match against Pakistan at Kingston in 2017. He has shown glimpses of brilliance in Test cricket but there has been a sheer lack of consistency. The 27-year-old has faired comparatively better in shorter formats of the game and he has been in and around the national team setup since he made his debut in ODI cricket against New Zealand in 2017. He soon made his T20 international debut as well against the same opposition in January 2018. 

A Topsy-Turvy Ride

For Hetmyer consistency has been a consistent urge as he has not been able to live up to the potential that he has. The left-hander has played 16 test matches so far where he has scored 838 runs at a disappointing average of 27.93. Hetmyer has made 5 half-centuries in his test career but he has not converted any of them to a century. 

In ODI cricket he has represented West Indies in 53 matches scoring 1515 runs at an average of 32.23 including 5 centuries and 4 half-centuries. His conversion in ODI cricket has been one of the biggest positives and if he brings more consistency to his game then he will be one of the most important players for West Indies in this format. 

Well, in the shortest format, he has played 57 matches where he has amassed 902 runs. In the transition phase of West Indies cricket, which has been going on for a long time, Shimron Hetmyer will play a very crucial role. All he needs is a captain who trusts him and brings the best out of him.