Jason Holder His chance at Gujarat Titans had to wait, but when it did, the West Indies all-rounder vividly reminded why the franchise shelled out Rs 7 crore on him in the auction. Brought into the XI in place of Glenn Phillips, Holder produced a decisive all-round display in Gujarat’s four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Thursday.The 34-year-old took 2/29, took three catches, including a controversial one, and then partnered with the bat in a 30-run stand with Rahul Teotiya as GT bowled out RCB for 155 and completed the chase with 25 balls to spare. Understandably, he was named player of the match.For a Titans team that had bought Sheriff Rutherford from Mumbai Indians in the off-season and was looking for a reliable middle-order option who could also bowl, Holder’s performance was a timely vindication. “When we were chasing Jason in the auction, he had in mind that he could fulfill both the bat and ball roles, so he offers us exactly that,” GT Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki said. “If you look at the last calendar year and maybe a little bit longer than that, his numbers five and six have been pretty impressive.“Holder certainly has all the skills you need. Physically, he’s a strong man, he’s got great reach and leverage as far as the bat is concerned, so all the technicalities are covered. He brings an extra dimension now, a sprinkle of stardust if you will, a really experienced campaigner. I think that’s him,” Lankey said playfully.Holder’s influence was not limited to his wickets. His catch to dismiss Patidar ended a stand of 44 runs and he later had plenty of chances to send back Tim David and Krunal Pandya. Off the bat, he helped stabilize the chase with Teutia.Solanki said Holder’s growing understanding of his game, developed through years of international and franchise cricket, made him a valuable presence in pressure situations. “He has proved over the years in international cricket and franchise cricket how much he measures up. He is only getting better,” Solanki said. “Any player who has played around the world for as long as he has, led teams like he has, and been part of different teams, he starts to understand what to do in any given situation. Jason is definitely doing that.Holder has played 96 T20Is for the West Indies and has captained the national team in all formats. Solanki said that the experience is also benefiting the young GT players. “You often get people with a lot of experience who might not even be able to interact with him. Jason is always willing to have a conversation, whether it’s with the coaching group or the younger guys around, to give a bit of his experience,” Solanki said, “It’s the perfect storm – a skilled, experienced cricketer who wants to be part of the team. Gentleman and very articulate when he speaks.”“
