Holder excluded from T20s because of schedule

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (CMC):

Windies head coach Phil Simmons says Jason Holder was not considered for selection for the Twenty20 (T20) squad for the three-match series here later this month because of the tight tour logistics.

Holder, 28 years old, has had good form in the shortest format this year, but was not among a 14-man squad named for the series in Auckland and Mount Maunganui from November 27-30.

Simmons explained that with the limited turnaround times between the end of the T20 series and the start of the two-Test series on December 3, a decision was taken not to allow Holder to feature.

“Let me just clear it up a little bit here. The T20 series here, this is an odd tour here,” Simmons told reporters in an online media conference.

“The T20 series finishes a day or two days before the first Test match and [Holder] being captain of the Test team, a decision was taken by us as a selection panel that Jason will not be considered for that part.

“Seeing that he is coming from IPL (Indian Premier League) now, he will have one chance to play in the four-day game before the Test match, so that decision was taken by the selection panel.

“But Jason is always in consideration for T20s. He had two good years at CPL (Caribbean Premier League) and now he is having a good tournament at the IPL.”

Holder is known more for his exploits in the longest format, where he tops the ICC’s all-rounder charts, but has already played 17 T20 Internationals, with varying levels of success.

However, he stamped his authority during last year’s CPL when he took 14 wickets with his slippery medium-fast bowling to help lead Barbados Tridents to their second title, and he returned this year to pick up 10 wickets and score nearly 200 runs.

A late call-up to the Indian Premier League as an injury replacement for Australian Mitchell Marsh, Holder has been a revelation for Sunrisers Hyderabad with 13 wickets from just six outings.

His efforts have put Sunrisers in Sunday’s final play-off against Delhi Capitals for a place in tomorrow’s final against Kieron Pollard’s Mumbai Indians.

Holder is one of seven players who will fly directly from the United Arab Emirates to join the West Indies touring party, which arrived over a week ago for the November 27 to December 15 tour.