Holder a Standout All-rounder, Says Windies Interim Coach Pybus

Cricketnext Staff | Updated: January 22, 2019, 10:38 AM IST

Windies skipper Jason Holder has received effusive praise from his team's interim coach Richard Pybus for handling the "tough" leadership role "exceptionally well"

Holder was appointed as the captain of the team in 2014 and Pybus feels that the 27-year-old has grown as a cricketer to become on the best all-rounders of the current era.

“At times it has been a really tough gig, from where he started to where he is now, and I think he has handled that exceptionally well,” said Pybus ahead of the first Test against England, starting Wednesday (January 23) in Barbados.

"His performance has really evolved and he has become one of the standout all-rounders in international cricket.

"He was superb with the ball last year and his batting has really come on. So, I think he's also getting to a point in terms of his own personal maturity, where he's comfortable where he is with the captaincy, and I think he is confident being in a situation where he can really demand excellence out of the side.”

England have only won one Test series in the Caribbean and Pybus said the Windies players are feeling motivated and are pretty clear about what they want to achieve.

“We have a clear goal, we are here to win the series. Playing at home in the region, the guys are very motivated," said the 54-year-old.

"We've got a Test match coming up. That for me, is what I'm personally focused on. Wherever you are, there are critics, and as a coach, your job is to make sure that you produce winning cricket.”

Vasbert Drakes, Esuan Crandon and Toby Radford have been appointed as the assistant coaches, while former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed is still in the side as the spin-bowling consultant.

“Mushtaq is great to have around the guys, he is incredibly positive and has a superb cricket brand," said Pybus.

"Toby is highly experienced in the system, he knows all the guys and brings a lot of value. Vasbert was part of our high-performance programme, he is a World Cup-winning coach in his own right and is well-established as a player and a coach, and Crandon has been the standout first-class coach for a quite a period of time now."