'I Never Knew Taking Up Captaincy At 23 Would Demand So Much', Admits Jason Holder

'I never knew taking up captaincy at 23 would demand so much', admits Jason Holder (Image Source: IANS)

T20 World Cup: West Indies allrounder Jason Holder has admitted that taking over the captaincy at a very young age was a demanding experience and said that he may have delayed accepting the leadership role if he had known about the hardships earlier.

Holder, who was appointed captain at the age of 23, reflected on the heavy responsibilities that came with leading the team, especially the pressures away from the field.

“When I took the captaincy, I never knew it would demand so much from me off the field. When I accepted it, I viewed it more from the perspective of on-field performance and managing the players during games. But to take on the captaincy at that stage and deal with all the off-the-field stuff, including selection and all these different things, was tough. It was really tough for me," Holder said on JioStar.

"However, I do not think I would be the person I am today if I had not gone through that experience. I have no regrets in life about it. But if I had known then what I know now, maybe I would not have taken it on at that stage. Understanding now what captaincy entails and what it means to lead the nation, I probably would not have taken it on so early in my career,” he added

The all-rounder also looked back at the West Indies’ title-winning campaign in the T20 World Cup 2016, describing how the team came together despite off-field issues at the start of the tournament.

“That campaign in 2016 was a tough one, particularly at the start. When we arrived, we had issues with clothing and contracts, and it was not ideal going into a World Cup. But slowly and surely, we got things in order and came together. I guess that became our driving force.

"We wanted to prove a point that things should have been better and in place. We united for that one cause, to prove to people that we were worth it. We wanted to put on a really good show and show people that we are good enough and we should be treated better," he added.

Speaking about his continued motivation to represent the West Indies, Holder said his desire was to leave the team in a better position than when he began his international career.

“When results did not go our way, the only thing we could rely on was getting better and proving people wrong, showing the world that we are not as bad as our last performance. For me, that was a driving force. Another motivation was to leave West Indies cricket in a better place than when I came in and found it.

"Honestly and sadly, it probably has not gone that way. A lot of the struggles we faced when I first came into West Indies cricket are still there. But that was genuinely my driving force to stay in the dressing room, to change the culture and help drive West Indies cricket in a direction that can only make us better and take us to a better place," he said.

“When results did not go our way, the only thing we could rely on was getting better and proving people wrong, showing the world that we are not as bad as our last performance. For me, that was a driving force. Another motivation was to leave West Indies cricket in a better place than when I came in and found it.

The West Indies, who are chasing their third T20 World Cup title, have won their first two matches and will look to extend the winning streak when they face Nepal on Sunday at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Article Source: IANS