IPL 2021: Jason Holder joins the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai
Former West Indies Test captain Jason Holder reached Chennai on Monday to join Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for IPL 2021.
The all-rounder will not have to undergo quarantine before joining his other teammates, as this is a bubble to bubble transfer. He was part of the West Indies team's bio-secure environment for the series against Sri Lanka. The test series ended in a stalemate as both tests ended in draws.
Jason Holder did well with both the bat and the ball against Sri Lanka, thereby helping West Indies win the T20I and ODI legs and draw this series' Test leg. He picked up three wickets each in the T20Is and ODIs and seven wickets in the game's longest format.
Holder's arrival will greatly bolster the Hyderabad team. They do have a host of foreign players to choose from but Holder had a brilliant season for the Sunrisers last time out.
The Sunrisers took to their social media platforms to welcome their ace all-rounder.
"Welcoming the big man from the Windies. Svagatam, @jaseholder98! #ReturnOfTheRisers #OrangeOrNothing #OrangeArmy #IPL2021," they wrote.
Jason Holder's impressive IPL 2020
After going unsold at auction last year, Jason Holder was roped in by the Sunrisers Hyderabad as a replacement for the injured Mitchell Marsh.
Immediately, the 29-year-old made an impact and proved to the world why he deserved to be picked at the auction. He returned with an awe-inspiring performance with the ball, picking up 14 wickets in 7 games, and played a crucial role in helping SRH reach the playoffs.
With the bat, he made a few handy contributions, scoring 66 runs at an average of 33 and a strike rate close to 125.
However, the competition for the four overseas spots is more intense this year. David Warner and Rashid Khan are a certainty in the Playing XI. That leaves two more overseas spots for which six players will be competing.
The Sunrisers have got some great options, such as Kane Williamson, Mohammad Nabi, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Jason Holder to choose from. This makes the selection quite tricky for the management, especially since the team has several woes with its middle-order.
The Hyderabad-based franchise will play five of their league games in Chennai this year, starting with a game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 11.