Meet Jason Holder, the world’s best all-rounder and the man who can revive West Indies’ glory days
For two decades, West Indies cricket was in free fall — turning a powerhouse into a laughing stock. But life is being breathed back into the game’s former rulers, with one man at the forefront of the revolution.
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Tony Greig’s infamous “grovel” sledge is still ringing in the ears of every West Indian cricket fan, but Jason Holder wants to replace it with a new rallying call: be the best on the planet.
After leading his side to a momentous series win over England, Holder made the bold statement that the West Indies want to become the world’s No.1 team for the first time since 1995 — from which point the 80s powerhouse has been a fading force.
“We have got to keep improving in the three facets of the game and be clinical and a lot more consistent,” Holder said.
“Our number one goal is to be the number one team in the world so there is a lot to improve on.”
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And the dynamic all-rounder is the man behind the revival of the world’s forgotten cricket superpower.
Former Australian Test player Stuart Law, who coached the West Indies until last year, says this current team is playing with a chip on its shoulder born out of a feeling that the team is being disrespected.
And it is that disrespect — harnessed by a powerful, considered leader in Clive Lloyd — which helped create the most terrifying team on the planet.
“You’ve got to take it right back to the days when Tony Greig mentioned that horrible phrase when he said ‘we’re going to make them grovel’,” Law told The Daily Telegraph of the 1976 pre-series sledge which sparked a spiteful feud between the two teams.
“(The West Indies) desperately dislike the English for that remark, even though there’s no animosity between the two groups — that remark meant a lot and it hurt a lot of people in the Caribbean.
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“What happens with the disrespecting of this current West Indies team, it drives them forward.
“To hear guys like (champion England batsman turned commentator) Geoff Boycott saying this is the worst West Indies team he’s ever laid eyes on and that England should make mincemeat of them (will be heard in the dressing room).
“Jason really embraced this, because he was the captain, and he really embraced the idea that everyone was writing us off and we needed to give it absolutely everything we can to show these people we can play the game of cricket.”
After a steady decline over the past two decades, this current Windies outfit has taken giant strides towards becoming everything Holder is promising they can be.
“They’ve got more talent, per man, than most teams going around world cricket today,” Law continues.
At the centre of it all is Holder — a frontline quick who also boasts three Test centuries, including a double ton against England this series, and has a future in the top six according to Law.
He’s a leader by actions who picks the brain of Clive Lloyd and like the brilliant mentor, has unearthed an ability to unite the 14 nations which comprise the world’s most complex cricketing team.
With 1783 runs at an average of 33.64, and 253 wickets at 27.7, Holder is the top-ranked all-rounder in Test cricket and has designs on extending that to the T20 and ODI arenas as well.
Law believes it’s a title he can hold for a long, long time.
“His captaincy has come on in leaps and bounds. He’s now a leader of men but the best way to be a leader is by performance,” Law explains.
“To get this team to play as well as they have is a credit to the young man, the way he does it. He’s very smart, very calm.
“To rise to the top of the tree in world cricket in his chosen field is a testament to his ability, his mental toughness.
“He’s got ambition to be a top six batsman — and that’s not out of the realms of possibility.
“There’s no reason why he can’t become the best all-rounder in the world for a long period of time, but also turn himself into a batsman who bowls a bit.”
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Originally published as Meet Jason Holder, the world’s best all-rounder and the man who can revive West Indies’ glory days
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