West Indies vs India 2016: Jason Holder praises Roston Chase after match-saving innings
West Indies skipper Jason Holder was full of praise for his close friend and Test teammate Roston Chase after the latter’s unbeaten knock of 137 during the 2nd innings of the second Test at Jamaica helped the hosts to not only save the match but also to stay alive in the four-match series against India. Having grown up playing together with Chase, Holder feels that the 24-year-old has proven that he deserves to be a regular starter in Test match cricket.
"Roston is one of many things," Holder said, at the end of the Test match. "He is a character. People don't know Roston off the field but he is a fighter. I played all my cricket throughout my entire life with Roston - junior cricket, [Under-] 13, 15, 17, 19, West Indies A and now West Indies senior team. I have honestly enjoyed playing with Roston because, the character he is, and you know the way he plays cricket.
"I think a lot of credit must be given to Roston. To come in his second Test match and play the way he did, in these circumstances, full credit to him. I just hope he continues on in this vein. He knows that this is just the start, and hopefully he can have a long-lasting career for the West Indies."
After the visitors took a 304-run first innings lead, the hosts were staring at yet another embarrassing loss especially after being reduced to 48-4 in the second innings. However, Chase’s innings along with notable contributions from Jermaine Blackwood, Shane Dowrich and Holder himself ensure that Virat Kohli’s side had settle for a draw this time around. Holder is hopeful that the match leads to change in the team’s outlook rather than being a one-match exception.
"At the beginning of this game, as I said in the press conference, it's all about improvement for us. It's a young side, I don't want to expect leaps and bounds from this group so soon, but it's just important that we continue to improve,” Holder said.
"We think, with a performance like this, it's important we don't fall back into old habits, that we just don't take two steps backwards. It's important we just keep looking for ways to improve. I asked the bowlers to be a lot more patient in this Test match. I think the bowlers did an outstanding job.”
Though happy at being able to keep India at bay in this match, Holder is certain that the opposition will come back harder to reclaim their supremacy in the series.
"I wouldn't say [the series is] balanced out," he said. "India are still one-love up. But this obviously gives us an added boost. Two-love down going into the third Test match, heads tend to drop, but this actually gives us a boost, that we could save this game and give us some hope going into St Lucia.
"And India is a quality team, no doubt, you know, and their spinners are quality on these kind of pitches. I just think it's important, as I keep stressing, for our guys as a young group to keep improving. It's important for a guy like Roston, coming off a top knock like this, to continue on in this series and continue being consistent.
“We've struggled with consistency, both with the bat and ball, and I just think going forward we need to be more consistent, and that will bring improvement."