We have to just focus on the two Test matches: Jason Holder

The Windies, captained by Jason Holder, are scheduled to play a two-match Test, five-match ODI and a three-match T20I against India, starting October 4 at Saurashtra Cricket Association in Rajkot, the venue for the opening Test. Recently, the visiting team played a two-day warm-up match against Board President’s eleven at Reliance Stadium in Vadodara.

In the meantime, the 26-year-old Holder reckons the upcoming matches will allow them to test themselves out. The Barbados-born all-rounder hailed India for playing some impressive cricket and mentioned that the Windies would like to put their focus on the red-ball fixtures for the time being.

I don’t want to dwell too much in the past

“We have played some really good cricket in recent times. Quite a few of our guys really stood out individually and we have to keep that collective strength. India is the No.1 Test team. They have played some good cricket despite their last series (against England). It will be a good test for us. We have to just focus on the two Test matches,” Holder was quoted as saying in Sportstar.

When asked about adjusting to the hot and humid conditions in India, Holder said: “We have just come from Dubai. We had a really good camp there. It’s really hot there and we got accustomed to the heat that is similar to the one in India. We also had a practice game which went pretty well. We will utilise this two-day game the best way we can before the first Test.”

Holder has had an impressive time, captaining the Test team. The Windies drew the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka and then went on to comprehensively beat Bangladesh in the couple of matches at North Sound and Kingston respectively. However, he believes that the victories are a thing of the past.

“It’s been good. Our last two Test series were very good. I don’t want to dwell too much in the past; we have a big series ahead of us, a big winter to be precise. So the focus is on that and to play good cricket,’’ he added.

However, he hasn’t had much success this year, leading teams in white-ball cricket. The Windies lost the ODI series against Bangladesh 1-2 after which Barbados Tridents ended as the cellar dwellers in the 2018 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) under the leadership of Holder.

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