"I probably may not show it, but it has been difficult" - Jason Holder on 'strange transition' after losing captaincy
Jason Holder has admitted that being relieved of captaincy duties has been a strange experience for him. The 29-year-old conceded that the decision has been tough on him, despite him keeping his cards close to his chest in recent months.
The all-rounder was axed from the Test captaincy in a shock move by Cricket West Indies in March, with Kraigg Brathwaite replacing him as skipper. The move came less than two years after he was let go in a similar manner in white-ball cricket, as Kieron Pollard took his place.
Jason Holder recently spoke to ESPNCricinfo, where he opened up about his mental state after losing the West Indies captaincy.
“Yeah, it's been difficult. I probably may not show it, but it has been difficult. For the last five-six years, I've been captaining West Indies, whether that be Test-match cricket or one-day cricket. So now being relieved of both captaincies, it has been a strange transition for me personally,” Holder said.
Kraigg Brathwaite was temporarily made Test skipper after Jason Holder and a few others opted out of the Bangladesh tour in February. Many expected Holder to be reinstated as captain during the home series against Sri Lanka, but the management decided to stick with Brathwaite in a move that sent shockwaves across the cricketing fraternity.
It meant Jason Holder’s tenure as Test skipper came to an end after a five-and-a-half year stint, where he won 11 out of the 37 matches he captained in. A couple of months after losing the captaincy, Holder admitted he is still trying to come to terms with the situation.
"It was kind of a shock. Yeah, still lost for words in regards to that, but I am not dwelling on it. I don't think it's something I should dwell on, to be fair. I am just trying to find ways to move on and transition back to just being a regular player. For me now, it's about showing a bit more of my character and being a lot more, I would say outspoken. I am relatively outspoken, but just expressing myself a little bit more and having fun,” Holder admitted.
Jason Holder explains the change in role after losing Test captaincy
Jason Holder played a starring role during the Sri Lanka series despite suffering the captaincy setback. The No. 1 Test all-rounder notched up 138 runs and picked up seven wickets across two games. He detailed how his role in the side has changed since being relieved of captaincy duties.
“There is a lot less pressure, a lot less responsibility. It's just about me now personally. I'm a 100% team man. So I'll play my part to help the team and if there are other players who are seeking out advice or guidance, no doubt I'll be here to give them that. But it's no longer a time where you've got to look to select teams, look at combinations, all these things have just gone through the window. So for me now, it's just a little bit more detailed as to as to my preparation into myself, particularly, and not having to deal with the team aspect of it,” Jason Holder concluded.
Jason Holder will get another chance to prove his mettle when West Indies welcome South Africa for a two-Test series, with the first match beginning on Thursday.