Hope takes dig at Gill after historic run-chase

• Shubman Gill celebrated India's 406-run ODI chase with a social post
• Shai Hope mirrored the style after his 250-run T20I record
• Observers debate if the West Indies captain was trolling or emulating

When India chased down a mighty 405 run ask with its captain Shubman Gill leading the side with a brilliant century in the 2nd of the three one day internationals at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati,

the captain put up a story on social media.

The right handed batter, who had made an unbeaten 223 off 133, posted a picture of himself that showed him with the bat raised and the caption reading 406? Cool.

That was just days ago.

Now, in the most recent hours, Shubman Gill must have watched what his opposite number in the West Indies camp, Shai Hope happened to post on his social media.

Following an unbeaten 102, here’s what Shai Hope’s story read:

250? Cool.

Both captains, marking a moment with a single line of message on their respective social media accounts.

So what does one make of it? Perhaps how you read it has totally got everything to do with how you perceive it.

To many, and there would be, many, this was Shai Hope trolling the Indian one day cricket captain.

Well played, Hope 🫡 https://t.co/aaZV52Pmsu

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) October 10, 2026

For sure, Shubman Gill deserved to celebrate having scored an unbeaten century and to chase down 406 runs, which even despite the game’s high scoring nature and slightly sedate pitches that don’t often assist bowlers, is quite an ask. Hence, quite a feat. And hence, his simple story, in which he’s pointing to the fact that scoring a target as big as 406 is a cool feat, which to any naysayer even, is indeed a feat. An effort of remarkable batsmanship.

So then, by that same logic, if Shai Hope posts a social media message following his team having attained its own moment of cricketing rarity, achieving for the first time ever, a 250-run target, that too, in T20I cricket, does that not call for a cool post?

Hence, the Windies captain’s recent Insta story.

In both situations, fabulous batting talents whose skill is redoubtable, marked their own special moment in their own style- uncomplicated and simple without much drama.

But while a harmless question can be asked if it was entirely necessary for Shai Hope to post the message in the exact same style, just what defines the fact that he trolled his opposite number in the India ODI camp?

Could it not be that he was simply emulating the style of the batter known for stylish batting, hence actually paying the compliment?

For someone known for being a man of character and resilience, emoting anger or ‘giving it back’ aren’t things that come naturally to the Barbadian batter- if one would have noted.

So while it’s not certain if Gill was in any way trying to rub the Windies captain back and was probably only enjoying a cool feat (courtesy that post), it’s also unclear how Hope was retaliating. Or was maybe simply offering a way of emulating the Indian batter who demonstrated a nice way to mark a huge feat.

Moreover, Hope has been seen as someone who tries to lead by an example not by way of words, the right handed batter having now clearly become a pillar of West Indies batting. So what greatness would he achieve by trolling the captain of a team as huge and popular as Team India, that too, in his own country?