Holder overlooked for T20s due to cramped itinerary, says Simmons
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (CMC) — Jason Holder was not considered for selection to the West Indies Twenty20 squad for the three-match series here later this month because of the tight tour logistics, Head Coach Phil Simmons confirmed.
The 28-year-old Holder has enjoyed a rich vein of form in the shortest format this year, but was not among a 14-man squad named for the November 27-30 series in Auckland and Mount Maunganui.
Simmons explained that with the limited turnaround times between the end of the T20 series and the start of the two-Test series on December 3, a decision was taken not to allow Holder to feature.
“Let me just clear it up a little bit here. The T20 series here, this is an odd tour here,” Simmons told reporters in an online media conference.
“The T20 series finishes a day or two days before the first Test match and [Holder] being captain of the Test team, a decision was taken by us as a selection panel that Jason will not be considered for that part.
“Seeing that he is coming from IPL (Indian Premier League) now, he will have one chance to play in the four-day game before the Test match so that decision was taken by the selection panel.
“But Jason is always in consideration for T20s. He had two good years at CPL and now he is having a good tournament at the IPL.”
Holder is known more for his exploits in the longest format where he tops the ICC’s all-rounder charts, but has already played 17 T20 Internationals, with varying levels of success.
However, he stamped his authority last year’s Caribbean Premier League when he snatched 14 wickets with his slippery medium fast bowling to help lead Barbados Tridents to their second ever title, and he returned this year to pick up 10 wickets and score nearly 200 runs.
A late call up to the Indian Premier League as an injury replacement for Australian Mitchell Marsh, Holder has been a revelation for Sunrisers Hyderabad with 13 wickets from just six outings.
His efforts have put Sunrisers in yesterday’s final play-off against Delhi Capitals for a place in tomorrow’s final against Kieron Pollard’s Mumbai Indians.
Holder is one of seven players who will fly directly from the United Arab Emirates here to join the West Indies touring party which arrived over a week ago for the November 27 to December 15 tour.
Simmons believes the T20 side can be a serious threat in the T20 phase even though they are yet to beat the Black Caps in a series on home soil.
“We did well in Sri Lanka [earlier this year] and we’re trying to add to that now and make sure that everybody knows that every tour we go on we have to add something to it,” Simmons said.
“We’re missing a few players [who toured] Sri Lanka but at the same time we always have players coming in who can play, especially T20 cricket.”
In eight previous T20 Internationals on New Zealand soil, West Indies have managed to only win one, 12 years ago.
