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According to a WICB release, the recommendation to replace Bravo with Holder had been made by the Clive Lloyd-led selection panel and was approved by the board of directors. Lloyd said Holder’s appointment had been made with an eye on the future.
Holder, 23, made his ODI debut against Australia in February 2013 and has played 21 games, taking 29 wickets with his fast bowling at an average of 28.65.
“Jason is one of the good, young players who we believe will form part of the long-term future of West Indies Cricket,” Lloyd said. “We expect him to be around for a very long time. He is a young man with a very bright future. We have invested in him. He was part of the High Performance Centre and he also played for the West Indies Under-19 Team and the West Indies A Team.
“He has played ODIs for the West Indies before and has done well. We know he will continue to grow and demonstrate leadership. He has a very good cricketing brain and has the makings of a very good leader.
“The selectors decided that now is the time to make the transition and Jason will have people around him to help and guide him. Some might say it’s close to the time of next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand but we know that we have a good one-day team which can do very well.”
The decision comes two months after West Indies pulled out of their tour to India with one ODI, one T20 and three Tests pending, due to a protracted disagreement between the players, the board and the players’ association over the payment structure specified by the players’ revised contracts. Bravo had vocalised the players’ stance in several letters to the WICB and WIPA.
Holder said he had looked forward to leading West Indies for a long time.
“I’m very happy to be appointed in this post,” he said. “It’s something I’ve always been looking forward to from (the time I was) a youngster. Obviously being able to take over the mantle of Dwayne Bravo is big boots to fill. (I’m) just trying to move the team forward.”
West Indies are ranked eighth in the world in ODIs, with only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe behind them. Holder called it a ‘huge task’ to revive the team’s fortunes.
“We’re down the pecking order in terms of the rankings, so it’s about getting the guys together as best as I possibly can and trying to move up the rankings,” he said. “I just want to take it step by step.
“First time will be the series against South Africa. I think it’s key that we build some momentum going into the World Cup but I don’t really want to look too far down the road, to be honest, I just want to take it step by step. My biggest task at the moment is to build trust, build relationships with players and try to get the best out of them in key situations in games.”
Holder will be captaining a number of senior players and former captains, but said the task didn’t faze him.
“I obviously look up to all the senior players in the squad,” he said. “My role has primarily just shifted a little bit into leading and guiding these guys. It’s something I’m up for.
“I think I’ll have the support of the senior guys because I have a pretty good relationship with them. It’s just about moving West Indies cricket forward and I think most of the guys can buy into what I’m going to put forward, and I think that is best for West Indies cricket.”
Bravo, Sammy, Pollard out of ODI sideDwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy and Kieron Pollard have been left out of the West Indies side for the five-match series against South Africa. All three, including Bravo – who was replaced as ODI captain by Jason Holder – retain their places in the T20 squad. Sammy remains the T20 captain. Offspinner Sunil Narine, who was withdrawn from the India series after being banned during the Champions League T20 due to a suspect action, does not feature in either squad.
Jonathan Carter received a maiden overseas tour call-up for the ODIs, while batsman Narsingh Deonarine was picked following good performances recently, including two successive first-class hundreds for Guyana in the Professional Cricket League.
The ODI side has only one specialist spinner in Sulieman Benn, with Jerome Taylor, Sheldon Cottrell and Holder leading the pace attack. Kemar Roach had earlier been identified for selection but following his injury in the Centurion Test, the West Indies selectors have decided to name a replacement for him at a later date.
Offspinner Ashley Nurse, who last played an international game in June 2011, was selected for the T20s. Krishmar Santokie and legspinner Samuel Badree were ruled out due to injuries while Chris Gayle’s availability for the limited-overs games is subject to a fitness test. The three-match T20 series starts on January 9.
West Indies’ squad for the limited-overs leg in SA
West Indies ODI squad Jason Holder (capt), Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Narsingh Deonarine, Leon Johnson, Chris Gayle, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor
West Indies T20 squad Darren Sammy (capt), Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle (subject to fitness test), Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith |
