India vs West Indies: Jason Holder enters elite list of captains in breakthrough year in Tests

While West Indies lost the two-match series against India 0-2, Holder managed to enter an elite club of Test captains.

Jason Holder has captained the Windies in 27 Test matches so far and it has been a tough journey for the all-rounder at the helm of affairs in cricket’s longest format for the Caribbean side.

West Indies captain Jason Holder celebrates the dismissal of Indian cricketer Kuldeep Yadav during the third day's play of the second Test cricket match between India and West Indies at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on October 14, 2018.(AFP)

In an era where West Indian cricket has delved deeper into trouble with poor management by the cricket board and lack of cutting edge talent, Holder has had endure 15 defeats since taking over as Test captain in 2015. With several limited overs stars deciding to stay away from Test cricket, Holder has had to carry the burden on his own shoulders.

Not the most talented cricketer himself, Holder though has toughed it out and is finally reaping the benefits of the hard work at a personal level. While West Indies lost the two-match series against India 0-2, Holder managed to enter an elite club of Test captains.

His exploits with both bat and ball at Hyderabad meant Holder has now picked more than 30 wickets and scored more than 300 runs in 2018. He thus became the 8th Test captain to achieve the feat.

He is in fact the third West Indian captain to achieve the feat after Sir Garfield Sobers and Darren Sammy. India’s Kapil Dev, Pakistan’s Imran Khan, South Africa’s Shaun Pollock, New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori and England’s Andrew Flintoff are the other leaders in the elite list.

Holder in fact is enjoying his best year as a bowler. His haul of 33 wickets this year is by far his best.