New Delhi, 21 September (H.S.): India and the West Indies will face off in a three-match ODI series beginning September 27, with the contests serving as an important part of the teams’ preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027. The series will also mark the beginning of India’s home international season.

Ahead of the series, West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder shared his thoughts on India captain Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Gurnoor Brar in an interaction with JioStar.

Recalling his experience of playing under Shubman Gill’s leadership, Holder said, “I have played under Shubman’s leadership. He is a leader. He is not someone who speaks a great deal, but when he does speak, he is very clear and communicates exactly what he wants from the team with authority. He brings a sense of calmness and balance, which is a good quality for a captain. I have a great deal of respect for those qualities, and I really enjoyed playing under his leadership.”

He added, “He is still at the beginning of his tenure as captain and is certainly learning on the field. He will have high expectations of his players. His senior players will need to come forward and support him. We have something similar in our team, where Shai has been in this role for some time, but he too continues to learn. The process of learning never ends, whether as a leader or as a player. You are always trying to gather as much information as possible to become better. Shubman is no different. I am looking forward to watching him and playing against him, and I expect a good contest between the two teams.”

Asked whether Gill was a captain who particularly backed his bowlers, Holder said, “I am not sure how you differentiate between a captain of bowlers and a captain of batters, but I can say that he is equally comfortable and supportive with both bowlers and batters. I used to tell him what I wanted, and we would discuss it. Particularly when it came to setting the field, he gave me complete freedom to set it my way and implement my plans. That is a strong quality for a captain.”

He said, “I never had any issues with Shubman. He gave me complete freedom to set my field and implement my plans. There was always open communication and mutual understanding between us. I really enjoyed playing with him, and hopefully we will continue to play together in the years ahead.”

Speaking about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Holder said, “When you look at Virat, he is probably one of the greatest players the game has ever produced and one of the finest ODI batters. He is certainly among the best batters in the game. As for Rohit, his ODI record is outstanding, and he has performed particularly well against the West Indies. So, these two giants of Indian and world cricket have had a tremendous impact on the game.”

Holder added, “I don’t think we have anyone comparable to them. Our best batter and one of our greatest players is Shai Hope, who has been outstanding for himself. I would put him in the same category. All three are world-class players and their records are world-class as well. I am looking forward to seeing all three of them compete against each other. Whenever I come up against Virat, it is always a special contest. I also enjoy playing against Rohit because I regard him as a great player, and I enjoy taking on the challenge of facing great players.”

Reflecting on his experience of watching Gurnoor Brar closely at Gujarat Titans, Holder said, “He has a lot of outstanding qualities. When I first saw him running in to bowl, I quietly asked Ashish why this player was not playing. It has been great to see his progress, and it is also encouraging that he has been given the opportunity to play for India.”

He added, “His height is one of his strengths, as it allows him to generate extra bounce. He has pace and can also swing or move the ball, which is important in the modern game. Pace is certainly still a major weapon in cricket, but you also need skill to go with it. Gurnoor has both pace and skill. Those are strong qualities for a fast bowler, and I expect him to pose a challenge for us.”

Holder further said, “It was quite entertaining to face him in the nets and watch him bowl. I am looking forward not only to seeing him play against us but also to watching him build a successful and long career.”

The three-match ODI series between India and the West Indies will be played from September 27 to October 3. All matches will be broadcast live from 2 pm on JioHotstar and the Star Sports Network.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar