It is good to see Darren bravo get some runs and some form going in the last Test match: Holder © Cricaction
With pride and consolation at stake in Trinidad, West Indies captain Jason Holder opted to focus on the improvement his team has made over the course of the series despite not getting the results, his personal performance with both bat and ball, the need to capitalise on starts and more.
Excerpts from the press conference held on August 17 (Wednesday).
Q: How do you look back on your show in the series and the multiple roles you play?
A:Personally, I would like to get some better starts. Part of my job is to do the holding bit at one end, as the hard working boys tend to rest. I felt that I was always doing well in the series but just haven't got the wickets to show. I feel normal, pretty happy and pretty confident and I am just my normal self.
Q: There has been some criticism regarding your captaincy and tactics...
A: There's always criticism as people have things to say and people have their opinion. So I don't think about it at all and I do what I have to in the best interests of the team.
Q: Thoughts on overall performance in the series?
A: I think we have showed improvement from the first Test. We said in the dressing room that we need a lot of big moments in the game and the conversion rate hasn't been good as we have let them slip by at times. They are costing us some Test matches but I think we have had some pretty good personal performances. Obviously we have got a hundred and two five-wicket hauls, and I think we have made progress in terms of our bowling. I don't think, in the first Test match, we were up to scratch but definitely we have shown a lot of improvement. I have said that our aim is to get 20 wickets in a Test match win, and we got 17 in the last one, so we are looking to push a bit further in this last one.
Q: What went wrong on last day in St.Lucia?
A: I think we lost our play on the fourth day and lost our last seven wickets very cheaply. We were in a pretty decent position with our top-order. They laid the foundation, but we faltered a bit with our middle-order and gave India the lead. We never really were able to recover from that.
Q: What needs to change in batting?
A: We have had some one-on-one meetings with the batsmen and the coach, and we have tried to find ways where we can enhance our preparation for this fourth Test match. We have obviously been working very hard no doubt but the situation is just that, in the game, we haven't been able to convert it. I just think it needs that conservative effort to fight it a bit better and for a little longer. Whatever starts we get we need to capitalize on them.
It is a situation where we haven't been doing that badly in terms of getting starts and just carried on. It is good to see Darren bravo get some runs and some form going in the last Test match. Marlon (Samuels) is fighting. It is just that we ask a lot of these two batsmen who are in the top four. I think kraigg (Brathwaite) has had an up and down series, he has got starts but just hasn't been able to carry on, so in this Test match it is just about them to continue to get starts.
Q: What has Phil Simmons's role as coach with the team been like?
A: Obviously he is the coach of the team so he has his plans and ideas and he bounces them off and we try to come with the best possible solution to the team. Once we cross the line, then everything is down to me and we can share ideas but I try to do everything in the best interests of the team. Some of the senior players, and juniors as well, tend to share ideas, and keep everybody involved with the game. But the main thing about cricket or any sport is execution. If you don't do that properly you will always be trailing. So we are just in a situation where we need to execute.
Q: Thoughts on Joel Garner's comment about hard work?
A: I would say we are working hard. I don't know what the manager is saying. That's his opinion.
Q: Will Trinidad be Samuels's final hurrah? What did you make of his shot selection in St. Lucia?
A: Firstly I don't know anything about this being Marlon's last test series. It is just speculation that we have heard and that's it, he hasn't come and said anything in the dressing room whether this is his last series. As for the shot, it didn't look the best but if you watch the game Marlon plays, he is quite unique in how he sets up. It is tough to gauge but once he gets in, we know how destructive he can be. And he has to be a little bit more selective in terms of his strokes and if he plays some shots thinking that it is a moment to capitalise on the bowlers or the moment, then he can take the game in his hands. I think he is a team player in terms of his approach and contributions for West Indies in the past, and putting everything in for the team. We just need to improve our shot selection and capitalise on the starts that we are getting.
Q: Thoughts on the surface?
A: Not quite sure yet. Yesterday I saw the wicket and I thought it looked pretty dry. There is a bit of grass on it as well and there is a possibility that we can see a change in the squad. But I haven't sat down with the selectors as yet and at the end of the day they have the final say. We will see what happens.
Q: Is there a lot of pressure on you at the moment?
A: Personally it hasn't been too bad for me but I haven't had the results. Have only got one wicket in this series but I feel that I have done my job pretty well. Obviously need some wickets and put my hand up and just see if things go my way in this test match. I am feeling pretty normal, jovial, my normal self and (I am) trying to keep the dressing room lively. I have had interactions with lot of players over the last few days about this series and (we) keep things as comfortable as possible. I am trying to make sure they know what they are doing in this setup and it is easy for me to get along with them. There is a lot of camaraderie in the dressing room. It hasn't been difficult at all. Results haven't gone our way, in Test cricket things have been tough. But if we keep working hard, like in this series we have shown improvement, it is just about key moments in the game. So we are looking to keep learning and start putting things right starting with this last Test match.
Q: How do you deal with rain breaks?
A: It is tough. Some people switch off but one thing the coach always says is that when there is rain around, we need to stay switched on in the dressing room because when it's time, we don't stipulate what the playing conditions would be. When there is rain around and there is nothing to do, we just chill and try to relax. We play a few card games and not talk cricket and have some fun. We just try to keep things as happy as possible to pass time and see whenever we can get play. Looking at this dressing room, it is very young team and I thoroughly enjoy everyone's company and we have some talented cricketers, but we just have to learn quickly and we have to put things straight and start getting some results.
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