He has featured in 69 Tests for the West Indies.
It has been 388 days since Jason Holder last featured in a Test match for the West Indies. It was the second Test of the series against South Africa in Providence, in which Jason Holder scored an unbeaten 54. Post that, Holder drifted away from the longest format of the game after choosing to feature in T20 leagues around the world – a step that a lot of players have been taking in the recent past.
However, in a recent interview, Holder claimed that he would love to make a comeback in the longest format for the Windies. According to the former West Indies skipper, the Test format is the pinnacle of cricket. The emergence of T20 leagues around the globe does add to the glamour due to its financial implications. Holder mentioned that there was no T20 cricket while he was growing up, and he always dreamt of playing Tests for the West Indies as a child.
The 33-year-old agreed that he was not able to actively participate in any other format than T20Is for the West Indies. However, he remains optimistic about making a comeback in whites. Holder has featured in 69 Test matches, and has picked up 162 wickets. He also spoke about leading the West Indies, and the lessons he learnt from his stint in a leadership role. With 3073 runs in Tests, Holder remains one of the most accomplished all-rounders to have played the game for the Windies.
“I think I’ve just got a strong foundation of fitness that has propelled me for as long as I have. But I have no doubt that I’ll get back in the Test team at some point”, said Holder in the interview.
Alongside some of his West Indies teammates, Holder remains to be one of the first names in terms of experience in franchise leagues around the world. The West Indian has got a rich plethora of tournaments under his belt and also possesses a vast experience. Having said that, he still regards Test cricket highly. Holder pointed out a stark difference between both the formats, having had the luxury of played both for a considerable time in his career.
He mentioned that the T20s are easier to adapt to as a seasoned professional. But for any young player, the longest format is where one really learns to play and hone their skills. He reaffirmed that Test cricket remains the pinnacle of the game. T20 leagues around the world can provide players with financial gains, but Test cricket shall always stay the purest format of the game.
Having said that, the West Indians have faced this problem in the recent past. The relationship between the cricket board and the players hasn’t shaped out to be the best. And hence, many players have chosen to play in lucrative T20I leagues over having central contracts.
Holder also gave his opinion on what he thinks needs to change in the way West Indies cricket is administered. He stated that a lot of their issues originate from their system, which needs development. The former Windies skipper went on to state that the system needs more accountability at every level and better development programs. He concluded by stating that building reliability and accountability is the only way forward in terms of growth.
ALSO READ:
The strenuous relations between players and the board was no secret to the cricketing world. The likes of former skipper Darren Sammy and a few other players have been very vocal about the issues. After the recent slump of the Windies against Australia, wherein the team was bundled out for 27 runs in an innings of a Test match, the board convened a meeting. This meeting included the likes of Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards and Brian Lara. The objective was to discuss the development of the cricket system.
Jason Holder spoke on the compensation matter which the players often struggle with. Cricket boards like the West Indies are low on finances. Hence, it often becomes difficult for players to match their expectations. However, Holder stated that the compensation problems for players aren’t just limited to the West Indies. He stated that the problems occur in countries like South Africa, New Zealand, and many other cricket boards too. Money does drive a lot of it.
Holder voiced the importance of cricket boards meeting the players somewhere in between for the expectations related to compensation. If that does not take place, more and more players will keep choosing the T20 leagues over their country. To add to that, Holder denied the possibilities of creating a window to balance franchise leagues and international cricket, saying that it was “easier said than done.”
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
