Has Jason Holder really delivered in the ongoing IPL?

When you are a certain Jason Holder, you have huge expectations from yourself and at the same time, the world expects a lot from you.

Frankly, it’s not too difficult to understand why. 

There’s more to it than just his steely leadership and the simple ‘give-it-all-to-the-team’ approach. 

For someone who was handed the West Indies captaincy in the post-2015 era, a time where the runs had dried up for Darren Bravo (not that much has changed since), where Samuels went out of form, where Chanderpaul had walked into the sunset, and where Chris Gayle became a once-in-blue-moon occurrence in the Test side. Holder didn’t bury himself under the evident pressure. 

Instead, he arose with a bright promise hitherto unseen in a unit where batters so often and easily fall prey to lose shots and conduct themselves - often - without a plan. 

At the Test level, Jason Holder inspired a young unit giving great confidence to blokes like Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Jermaine Blackwood, Rakheem Cornwall and Alzari Joseph, to quote a few. 

He led from the front and stayed unbeaten in the only victorious Test his West Indies enjoyed during 2020 in England, a series where, had it not been for the Windies’ affirmative action that resulted in touring England, men’s cricket would never really have resumed post-pandemic. 

But, it was consistent showings in the white-ball format that spurred his stocks to a position of serious consideration when the world seriously began talking about other prominent all-rounders besides the usual suspects: Shakib Al Hasan and Ben Stokes. 

As a matter of fact, today that Jason Holder is not just a part but a vital cog in the Lucknow armoury, then much of it is down to his performances in the last twelve months playing T20 internationals. 

Though, truth be told, it was a shocker when the consistent Barbadian was named in the ‘reserves’ and not the prominent squad of the Windies during the 2021 T20 World Cup campaign; this is when he’d been doing everything his West Indies asked him to do in the period before. 

Last year, he got ten chances to bat, from which he’d score 114 runs. But would emerge, importantly, unbeaten on no fewer than 6 occasions. Additionally, proving his worth as an elite all-rounder, he’d pick 10 wickets from just 35 overs. 

Not bad, right?

And at the first opportunity in playing the T20 gala, Holder produced returns of 15* off 5 deliveries (strike rate of 300), including a wicket at an economy of just 5.5 (vs Bangladesh). 

This would only further strengthen his credibility as a durable white ball all-rounder. 

Add to that his presence among the top of the charts in the ICC rankings for all-rounders, and Holder has evidenced a period of considerable and well-earned praise. 

It’s that uncanny adaptability across formats and being quick to gather wickets that makes the often understated truly world-class. 

But where the current IPL campaign for the Lucknow SuperGiants is concerned, we’ve got to ask a question. 

It’s a question that can no longer be ignored or shoved under the carpet despite the pleasant batting by KL Rahul and the rich vein of form exhibited by Krunal Pandya, who has well and truly reformed what could’ve been a fledgling IPL career. 

Has Jason Holder, amongst the sincerest cricketers going around, really been at his best? 

Is there something amiss? 

Have we seen the goods delivered from the bat when the team has really needed them, and moreover, just how good has his death bowling been?  

Akin to a state of aggravated sleeplessness that suggests one should resort to rest without idling much time, Jason Holder’s aggravated bowling economy so far, which is in excess of 9, indicates that he’s hardly been at his best. And has, truth be told, been touch restless with the white ball in this campaign! 

When he first arrived in IPL 2022, note the contest against the Sunrisers, he returned figures of 3 for 34 (most wickets for Lucknow) whilst scoring an unbeaten 8 off just 3 deliveries. 

Something that only retarded critics would call inept for this level of competition. 

But what’s happened to the usually promising and upright fast bowling all-rounder hence?  

Furthermore, it’s not been hard to note that he’s not looked like an utterly confident lad whilst bowling in the death overs - often times bowling right in the batters’ zone and on other turns, right into the slot or much too short. 

Whether it’s Killer-Miller, or the belligerent lot in a Rahul Tewatia, Rahul Tripathi or Rishabh Pant, Holder has been cleared much too easily over the outfield, the fielders simply playing mute spectators whilst stationed in the long-on and long-off regions. 

What would’ve helped, and hey, we are merely passionate fans and no experts, is a tad bit of experimentation with the ball. 

Where have the slower yorkers, the cutters and that sort of stock faded off to? 

The best that the lanky Bajan has bowled so far, and make no mistake, he’s bowled a great deal is his spell against - Kolkata on May 7, where he took the key wickets of Aaron Finch and Sunil Narine, both big hitters and massacrers of the ball (other wicket being that of Tim Southee). 

Factually speaking, the Jason Holder conundrum is that whilst the wickets column is anything but dirty or unimpressive - the giant cricketer having picked 14 wickets so far- it’s the economy, which is the worrying sign. 

The bowling economy of 9.23 this edition is the highest that Jason Holder has conceded - unless you didn’t note - has been undesirably high and, in fact, the highest considering the lasting two seasons. 

Adding insult to injury are the returns when the bat. 

His last few outings read - 1, 1, 13 and 11 against Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kolkata and Punjab, respectively.  

But a context, first up. 

While it’s true that he comes into bat much down the order when the bulk of the batting overs are done with, Holder’s job can wary from repairing an inning or if not, then giving impetus with the bat during the final leg of his team’s inning. 

Holder, so far, hasn’t even been able to get fluent starts, let alone the solid fifties and the big shot-filled knocks that would’ve added punch to his side.  

How’s that? 

Having made just 58 runs this year - let that sink in - and that too from 11 matches, Jason Holder, who has 2000 plus ODI runs against his name and has even scored a Test double, has an IPL batting average of 9 this season. 

For a giant character in the sport, the numbers point to a midget like figure. 

All of that being said, we know his class and also the fact that class is permanent. But where the 2022 edition goes, it’s best that the earnest West Indian digs deep and considers his performances this season- as a temporary gaffe. 

What’s more? With LSG nearly set for qualifiers and the games ahead, there’s still a chance to finish off on a high.