Jason Holder

Cricket, often hailed as more than just a sport, transcends boundaries, cultures, and generations, weaving narratives of triumph, resilience, and unparalleled skill. At the heart of this global phenomenon stand the cricketers, revered not merely for their athletic prowess but for the emotions they evoke and the legacies they carve. These individuals, adorned with willow and leather, step onto the verdant fields, carrying the dreams of nations and the aspirations of millions. Their graceful strokes, strategic brilliance, and moments of sheer brilliance on the pitch resonate far beyond the stadium walls, leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of the game and the hearts of ardent fans worldwide. Today, in this article, we will talk about Jason Holder.

About

Jason Omar Holder, born on November 5, 1991, hails from Barbados and has led the West Indies cricket team. He's a versatile player, a right-arm medium-fast bowler, and an all-rounder across all cricket formats. His prowess earned him the top spot as the world's number-one all-rounder in the official ICC Test rankings in January 2019.

Holder's achievements include being named the Test Player of the Year by Cricket West Indies in August 2019 and being honored as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year on April 14, 2021. Notably, he's the first male West Indian cricketer to claim a hat-trick in a T20I and only the fifth to accomplish both 2000 runs and 100 wickets in one-day internationals.

In Test matches, Holder joined the elite club of cricketers, including the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers, by achieving 2500 runs and 150 wickets. His contributions were pivotal in the West Indies' triumph at the 2016 T20 World Cup.

Career

After starting his international career in 2013, Holder got picked up by Chennai Super Kings in the IPL auction for $20,000. He later played for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders. His performance in a few matches included scoring 22 runs and taking 2 wickets. He joined Sunrisers Hyderabad again in 2020 as a replacement for an injured player. Holder also played for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club in 2019.

In 2019, he stepped down from leading the white-ball team, and Kraigg Brathwaite took over as Test captain. Holder was part of the Barbados Royals for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League. In the 2022 IPL Auction, Lucknow Super Giants bought him for ₹8.75 crores. Rajasthan Royals also got him for ₹5.75 Crore in the IPL auction for the 2023 season held on December 23, 2022.

Holder started playing One Day Internationals (ODIs) in 2013 against Australia. His standout moment came in a match against Pakistan, where he took 4 wickets for 13 runs, but it was overshadowed by Shahid Afridi's seven-wicket haul as West Indies got bowled out for 98. In another game during the same series, Holder's strong all-round performance, scoring 19 runs not out of 9 deliveries alongside Kemar Roach, helped his team tie the match. He also debuted in T20 Internationals (T20Is) against New Zealand in 2014, taking 2 wickets for 34 runs in 3 overs.

After doing well in One Day Internationals (ODIs), Holder was chosen for the Test team in June 2014. He played his first Test match on June 26, 2014, against New Zealand. In the first innings, he didn't get any wickets but bowled well, making four maidens. In the second innings, Holder got his first Test wicket by getting Ross Taylor out for 16 runs. He ended the match with 2 wickets for 50 runs. Holder also scored 90 runs in the match, marking his first Test fifty. Sadly, even though Holder performed well, the West Indies team lost the match by 53 runs.

Captaincy

He became the captain of the national ODI team when the previous captain, Dwayne Bravo, was removed by the West Indies Cricket Board selectors. Holder, at 23 years and 72 days old, became the youngest West Indian captain.

Later, in September 2015, he was named the captain of the Test side for the tour to Sri Lanka, becoming the second youngest Test captain for the West Indies and the 15th youngest across all Test-playing nations. Under Holder's leadership, the West Indies reached the quarterfinals of the 2015 World Cup, although they lost to New Zealand.

During the tournament, Holder scored 250 run innings against South Africa and India, but despite his efforts, the team lost both matches. He also makes 104 runs against South Africa. In another match against New Zealand in the quarterfinal, Holder scored 42 runs off 26 balls.

In April 2015, he scored his first Test century against England, securing a draw in the first Test. Initially, as the Windies' captain, the team struggled due to the absence of experienced players like Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels amidst an ongoing dispute between the players and the West Indies Cricket Board.

On July 2, 2017, Holder achieved his first five-wicket haul (5/27) in an ODI match against India. The West Indies managed to win a low-scoring game by 11 runs, thanks to Holder's leadership and impressive bowling performance, earning him the man of the match award.

Jason Holder set records by being the fastest West Indies player to score 1,000 runs and take 100 wickets in ODIs (74 matches). He also received a cricket contract across all formats for the 2018-19 season. In Tests, Holder performed exceptionally, scoring 336 runs and taking 33 wickets at an outstanding average of 12.30, the best for a fast bowler in over a century.

In January 2019, Holder made his first double-century in first-class cricket, scoring 202 not out against England. He played a pivotal role in the West Indies victory, leading the team to their biggest home win in terms of runs.

He captained the West Indies in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, playing his 100th ODI against Bangladesh and his 150th international match against India. Holder also became the first West Indies captain to take 100 ODI wickets. In Test cricket, he claimed his 100th wicket against India in August 2019.

On March 21, 2021, Holder had an impressive performance, taking 5 wickets for 27 runs against Sri Lanka in the first test at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Later, in the second and final test of Sri Lanka's 2021 tour of the Caribbean, he scored an unbeaten 71.

In April 2021, Holder received recognition as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year. On July 24, 2021, he played a crucial role, scoring 52 runs, in helping the West Indies win the second ODI against Australia in a three-match series held at Kensington Oval, Barbados.

Net Worth

Jason has a central contract with the West Indies cricket board, earning over $300,000 or INR 2.4 crore per year for playing with the West Indies team. Apart from this, he also makes money through brand endorsements, his IPL contract, and the CPL contract. Overall, it's estimated that Jason Holder's net worth is around $10 million or INR 80 crore.

Conclusions

Jason Holder is an extravagant player in cricket sports, and he has made many achievements in the world of cricket. He is a very famous cricketer, too. His batting style is superb in terms of gameplay, and his captaincy is unbeatable. He has also received as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the year. And he always plays the crucial and most important role in the team.