WI captain Jason throws his weight behind out-of-form batsman Shai to come good in series-deciding English Test
West Indies's Shai Hope during Day Four of the second Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Sunday. Pic/ Getty Images
The West Indies are on the cusp of ending their 32-year wait for a series win in England. The Jason Holder-led Caribbeans have the opportunity to register their first Test series win in England since 1988 if they can beat Joe Root’s men in the third and final Test, starting at Old Trafford today.
For that to happen, Holder will need his top order to fire. Apart from opener Kraig Brathwaite (156 runs in two Tests), the other prominent batsmen like Shai Hope and John Campbell have only managed to score 57 and 52 respectively in the series.
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Coach Phil Simmons had expressed his concern over Hope and Campbell’s form after the loss in the second Test. However, Holder has reiterated his support for the beleaguered Hope. "All players have got my full backing. They know how high-pressure this is. Yes, some of them haven’t got the kind of runs they would have liked to, but they still have my full support…one hundred per cent," Holder said on the eve of the Test on Thursday.
"We all know what Shai can produce. I believe he is one of the best one-day batsmen in the world. He has got a lot of caliber. I have full confidence in him. He has got my full support," he added.
West Indies skipper Jason Holder
There have been eight half centuries in the two Tests, but none of the Windies batsmen have managed to get into three figures. And that’s what Holder is expecting in this series-deciding encounter. "We are yet to get a hundred in the series. So, it’s a good opportunity for the batters to step up in the next match. It is important we start well, put some runs on the board in the first innings and our bowlers take 20 wickets quickly. If this happens, we can take the game in the direction we want to.
"The spirit is quite high. It is a good opportunity to win the series. We are upbeat about the occasion. We know what’s at stake. It is just a matter of pushing it to the next level. We have done reasonably well as a Test side in the last two to three years. I have full confidence in this team; that it can turn things around for West Indies cricket," he said.
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