ICC Test Rankings: Jason Holder surges atop, scripts this record
West Indies cricket all-rounder Jason Holder played a commanding role in helping his side win the first Test against England in Barbados. The skipper scored a fantastic maiden Test double hundred (202*) and also picked up two crucial wickets not giving anything away. The performance helped him rise atop in the ICC Test Rankings for all-rounders. Here's more.
Holder saw his side win the first Test by a whopping 381 runs. They secured the win with more than a day to spare. West Indies lead 1-0 in a three-Test series. Holder went ahead of Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan and Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja to top the rankings. He has 440 rating points and has opened up a substantial gap at the top.
With this achievement, Holder became the first West Indian cricketer after the great Garfield Sobers to top the retrospective rankings for all-rounders. Sobers had achieved the feat back in 1974. The legend presented a cap prior to the start of the Test to Holder and then got to witness one of the most brilliant performances in modern day Test cricket.
Holder has quickly grown to become quite a name in cricket. He was handed captaincy at the age of 23 in 2014. Windies have a young and inexperienced squad, but this performance will give them confidence. "One Test match doesn't make a summer. We've got two Test matches to go and have to make sure we close out the series," Holder said.
Holder was named in the ICC Test Team of the Year (2018). He was the only Windies player to be named in the side. He took an impressive 34 wickets from nine Tests at an average of 12.39. He also scored 336 runs.
Holder scored his first ever double ton in Tests and a third career century. Holder also became the third player in Test cricket to score a double century batting at number eight. His 229-ball 202* is the second fastest Test double century against England. Former New Zealand batsman Nathan Astle (153 balls) holds the record of the fastest double ton against the Three Lions.
Holder amassed the second fastest double hundred for WI in Tests. Chris Gayle (221 balls) holds the record. He achieved the same against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2010. Holder (229 balls) went past former legend Gordon Greenidge (232 balls). Greenidge had notched the feat against England at Lord's (1984). Holder's 202* is also the highest individual score by a number eight Windies batsman.
