Shai Hope's tour of India has been so good that it is starting to cause him logistical problems. After his unbeaten 102 powered West Indies to a series-levelling win in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad, the captain collected his third Player of the Match award of the tour, and admitted the growing collection of trophies was becoming a genuine travel concern. Speaking after the match, Hope quipped that the awards were heavy and that he would have problems fitting everything into his luggage on the way home. It was a light-hearted moment from a player who has let his bat do the talking all tour.

The numbers behind the joke are remarkable. Hope has struck two T20I hundreds on this tour, including the 102 not out in Hyderabad and a century in the record 250-run chase in Ranchi, and he had already smashed two hundreds in the earlier ODI leg of the tour. His third T20I hundred in Hyderabad made him the outright holder of the most T20 international centuries by a West Indian batter. Add in the earlier ODI centuries, and Hope has been the single most dominant batting force across formats on this tour. Few visiting batters in recent memory have owned an Indian tour quite like this.

What has stood out is the manner of the runs. Hope has not relied on slogging; his centuries have been built on clean, risk-aware strokeplay, and even India's own players have acknowledged the quality. Opener Sanju Samson was effusive in his praise, noting how Hope plays proper cricket shots, respects the bowlers, and still clears the ropes at will. The 50-ball hundred in Hyderabad, finished with a six off the last ball, was as clinical as it was brutal. Captaincy has clearly agreed with him too, with West Indies playing an aggressive, fearless brand under his leadership.

The tour still has one defining act left. With the series locked at 2-2, Sunday's decider in Bengaluru offers Hope the chance to complete one of the great individual visiting performances in Indian T20I history. A series win in India would elevate the tour from memorable to historic for this West Indies group. Our 4th T20I match report captured the drama of Hyderabad, but the story of the series is increasingly the story of its captain.

Beyond the tour, there is a rest on the horizon. West Indies travel to Bangladesh for a two-Test series later this month, and Hope is set to be rested for that assignment ahead of the ODI World Cup qualifiers in February. The management's thinking is clear: protect the form player, keep him fresh, and build the 50-over campaign around him. For fantasy players, though, the message is simpler, Hope is undroppable while this hot streak lasts, and the selection principles in our IND vs WI fantasy cricket guide have barely needed updating since the tour began.

Whether or not West Indies close out the series on Sunday, Hope's tour is already the story of the Indian home season so far. The centuries, the awards, and the easy humour about excess baggage all paint the picture of a player at the peak of his powers, enjoying every moment. India will have one last chance to stop him in Bengaluru, but on current evidence, that is easier said than done. Even the debates around India's playing XI keep circling back to one problem: nobody has an answer for Shai Hope right now.