Jason Holder became only the third batsman in Test history to register a double hundred from number 8 as he blasted an unbeaten 202 off just 229 deliveries against England on Day 3 Friday Jan 25,2019 of the first Test at Bridgetown, putting West Indies in a commanding position.
His achievements with the bat become even more remarkable when one considers that batting is not his stronger suit – Holder is more a bowling all-rounder who has been one of the leading bowlers for the West Indies since his debut.
The Best All-Rounder In Contemporary Test Cricket
Holder has scored 1761 runs in 63 innings at an average of 33.86, including three hundreds and eight fifties. In addition, he has taken 88 wickets at 28.12 apiece and at a strike rate of 64.8.
Amongst all players/all-rounders who have scored a minimum of 500 runs and picked at least 30 wickets since Holder’s debut (26th June, 2014), Holder’s Batting Average – Bowling Average Differential of 5.74 is the third-highest, only after Shakib and Jadeja. This means he has been the best fast bowling all-rounder in Test cricket in this time-frame, better than the likes of Ben Stokes, Vernon Philander and Chris Woakes among others.
Scoring Tough Runs From Number 8
Holder has batted from the number 8 position for a majority 41 of his 63 innings in Test cricket. No other number 8 has scored more runs than Holder (1110) since June 2014. Only Ravindra Jadeja (36.7) has a higher average than Holder (34.68) from the position during this period. No other number 8 has scored a hundred in this period – Holder has registered two. No number 8 has faced more deliveries than Holder (1858) during this period.
Most of Holder’s runs have been tough runs. They have come when the top and middle order has been dismissed cheaply and the team has needed a determined rearguard action. This makes his contribution with the bat all the more significant.
Some of his noteworthy performances (apart from his double hundred in Bridgetown) include an unbeaten match-saving 103 in 149 deliveries from number 8 against England at North Sound in 2015, another match-saving 64 off 99 balls against India in Kingston in 2016, 58 in 124 deliveries against Pakistan in Bridgetown in 2017 and 110 from 230 for 7 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2017.
His numbers with the ball have been very impressive too. In fact, Holder’s bowling average is higher than the likes of some leading specialist fast bowlers in the period after his debut. These include the likes of Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Tim Southee, Mohd. Amir and Suranga Lakmal amongst others.
He has been in outstanding form, both with the bat and the ball in the last couple of years.
Outstanding Form
Holder has been exceptional, both, with the bat and ball in the last couple of years.
Since the beginning of 2017, he has picked 57 wickets in 16 Tests at an average of 21.12 and strike rate of 49.7.
Only four fast bowlers have a better bowling average (min. 10 Tests and 30 wickets) than him in this period – Mohd. Abbas, James Anderson, Kagiso Rabada and Philander.
Holder’s average is better than Morkel, Bumrah, Cummins, Southee, Boult and Hazlewood amongst other leading fast bowlers in this period.
He has four five-wicket hauls in this period and is equal with Shannon Gabriel and Abbas on this count. Only Rabada (5) and Anderson (6) have more.
Holder has also been very restrictive with the ball using his height to constantly probe at a line on or outside the off-stump. His economy rate of 2.54 in this time-frame is the fifth-best amongst all fast bowlers.
His credentials with the bat haven’t been bad either – in 16 Tests since 2017 he has registered 960 runs at an average of 40! He has aggregated above 50 in a match on eight occasions – which are pretty good numbers for an all-rounder.
His Batting Average – Bowling Average differential of 18.87 is the second- highest amongst all all-rounders in the world in this period – an indicator of the match-winner he has been with the bat and the ball in this period. Only Jadeja (22.33) has a higher differential.
His numbers suggest that he has been good enough to merit a place in almost any Test side purely as a bowler or as a lower-order batsman – that is how good he has been in both the disciplines.
Keeping West Indies Afloat
Holder has been the second-highest scorer for the West Indies since his debut. Only Kraigg Brathwaite has scored more runs than him in this period. His average is also second only to Brathwaite in this period, higher than the likes of specialist batsmen like Darren Bravo, Samuels, Hope, Hetmyer and Blackwood amongst others.
This is a staggering statistic keeping in mind that Holder has batted at number 8 for a majority of his career. This not only tells a tale of the struggling West Indian top and middle order but also of the brilliance of Holder with the bat batting with the lower-order and tail. Time and again he has rescued the West Indies from hopeless situations.
Holder has also been the second-highest wicket-taker for the West Indies in this time-frame. Only Gabriel has taken more. Holder’s bowling average is only marginally lower than Roach and only Gabriel has taken as many fifers (5).
West Indies have won just 10 Tests since Holder’s debut. The West Indies captain has been a part of 8 of these wins and has picked 39 wickets at a stunning average of 14.10 and strike rate of 36.
His bowling average in winning matches is the best for any bowler in the world in this time-frame (min. 8 matches won). His bowling strike rate in winning matches is the third-best only after Rabada and Steyn.
That is how good Holder has been with the ball and that is how much the West Indies have relied on his bowling to register those rare wins.
The greatness of an all-rounder is his ability to win or draw the match for his country with either the bat or ball. The fact that Holder has done that consistently with a weak and transforming West Indian side makes his contributions even more significant. Add to this his captaincy and keeping a young bunch together and Holder has already made a name for himself as a world-class all-rounder.
He has given the West Indies a golden chance to go in the lead against England in Bridgetown. Can this inspire them and lead to a transformation?
Nonetheless, at almost 6 feet 8 inches, Holder stands tall with his towering performances
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