Tough series ahead: Jason Holder

For someone who is just 24, Jason Holder is a young captain. After making his debut two years ago, Holder showed that he has a balanced head on his shoulders when he led his side against Australia and South Africa.

However, it will be a different test when he leads the West Indies against the touring India, the No 2 side in Tests, in a fourmatch series starting later this month. “It’s going to be a tough series. India are ranked number 2 for a reason. They have a quality batting line-up and a quality bowling [set up] as well,” said the West Indies captain in an interview to the Barbados Today. 

“It will be a tough challenge for this young [West Indies] Test team. Our Test team is a very inexperienced one, it is one that needs time to get together and needs time to put performances together and get to know one another a little bit more. “We’re practically in a transitional phase and we’re trying to groom a Test team and it will take time. One of the big things we fell down in the past is batting 90 overs in a day and setting up a good first innings total. That is something I want to keep stressing in the dressing room. It is important we set the tone whether batting first or bowling first.” Holder said he is happy with the performance of the team against Australia and South Africa, the No 1 and 3 teams in ODIs. 

“It was good series for the team. We played some decent cricket throughout the three and half weeks of the series. We showed a lot of improvement and there were positives we could take out of the series. We had two centuries in the series and a five-wicket haul. We looked a lot better as a collective unit. We had the likes of Kieron Pollard returning to the set-up having a huge impact in the series,” he said. 

The West Indies showed they could beat the number 1 and number 3 ranked teams in the world and also that they could compete with the top sides in the world. Though the performance was heartening, Holder felt they were unfortunate not to win the final which “he thought they had a good chance of winning.” 

“To be in the final itself of a tournament of that magnitude, really having the two top teams in the world, just speaks for itself as we were ranked number 8 at the start of the series and to finish in the final was an accomplishment,” said Holder.

”It’s important we do not relax too much and keep looking for ways to improve in the ICC rankings as qualification for tournaments being so tight it is important we snatch every point we can get.” Holder feels he has not been amongst the runs of late and of course, a five-wicket haul. 

“For me I need some runs. I scored a hundred last year and haven’t had one for a while. I’m at least looking to get a century this series.  I’m yet to get a 5-wicket haul in Test cricket. So there are a few milestones for me to look ahead to and to look to accomplish. Personally for me it is to pick up that first 5-wicket haul and to look to continue on and score some runs.”