Last week, Jason Holder endured the ignominy of having bowled the most expensive 10-over spell in a World Cup match.
Figures of one for 104 are hard enough to stomach as they are; when it’s the captain that has delivered those overs, the embarrassment is worse.
Holder, however, has managed to keep his chin up after that hammering at the hands of South Africa. His focus is on another task now, to lead the West Indies against India on Friday. “It’s cricket, it’s sport,” he said.
“You have good days, you have bad days. You have people around you that make your experience a little better, and you go back to the drawing board after each performance. Obviously, I’ve had a bad bowling effort in a sense in the last game. But that’s gone. That is in the past, and I’ve taken a lot from it.”
Holder had the captaincy thrust on him late last year, in somewhat difficult circumstances.
He is still 23 years of age and had played only 21 one-day matches at that stage. Only two years ago, Holder was making his debut in Perth against Australia.
Returning to the WACA ground meant a lot to him, he said. “I was making my debut here. It was a dream come true. To be able to play for West Indies against Australia here in my first game it just touched me a bit.
“Being back here now I would just like to improve on my performance from last time, and having said that, I’ll do everything in my power to enhance our chances of winning.”
Holder was confident that India could be overcome.
“Virat has been phenomenal for them over the last few years. They have Shikhar Dhawan who has been in some form, and players like Raina and M.S. Dhoni. But cricket is played on the day, and I back my bowlers to put them on the back-foot. We’ve planned for them,” he said.
Having been a part of the Chennai Super Kings team, he had learnt much from M.S. Dhoni, Holder revealed.
“I’ve picked up a lot from Dhoni. He’s a good leader. He’s a guy who is respected in the dressing room.
“Going about my career I tend to look at a few players and look at a few things people do, not particularly Dhoni, but successful players who have played cricket before.
“I just try to take bits and pieces from everybody and try to put it together into one,” he said.