To think that Jason Holder was on vacation in the Caribbean when an unexpected call to join Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) came long after IPL 2020 began is not to assume that he was not prepared anyway. The 6’7 ”Barbadian proved it once again against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday, bringing his team once again closer to finishing position with full effort.
“I left the lady. It was hard enough making the decision to come play. Glad I did, ”Holder said after a successful first foray this season against the Rajasthan Royals, which saw him return with his best ever IPL figures of 3/33.
He improved that to 3/25 against RCB in the tie, helping to restrict Virat Kohli’s team to 131/7 in 20 overs. His role was not over yet as he was involved in a 65-run partnership with Kane Williamson (50 *) for the fifth wicket when SRH came home in 19.4 overs after showing signs of another batting implosion. They will now face Delhi Capitals on Sunday for a place in the title final.
SRH vs RCB, IPL Eliminator 2020: Full Summary
Holder, who was unsold at the 2020 IPL auction and was chosen only because Australian Mitchell Marsh sprained his ankle in SRH’s first game this season, deserves great credit for making an instant impact. The demands and perception of the T20 cricket are such that even Holder, who is the world’s No. 1 all-rounder, can be left out. It’s been going on with the Windies Test captain for a long time, who last played in the IPL in 2016.
But the bounce that some of the UAE courses have offered fits into Holder’s game. Helped by their enormous size, Holder has maximized the returns on those strips. The result is reflected in his count of 13 fields in six games. Since inclusion, SRH took the most wickets (49) in the second half of the league stage.
Add to that his ability to make crucial cameos with the bat, there seems to be no question why he is the preferred choice for fourth-place foreigner over Jonny Bairstow.
On Friday, he broke RCB’s back by eliminating captain Kohli and this season’s top scorer, Devdutt Padikkal, in the first four overs.
It took Holder two balls to make a hit when his upward pitch moved inward against Kohli. The RCB captain tried to create space on the side of the leg, but the extra bounce helped the ball touch his gloves and Shreevats Goswami, who was playing in place of the injured Wriddhiman Saha, dived in to complete a brilliant reception.
Next was Padikkal, whose reluctance of Holder’s short delivery got the top of the bat and Priyam Garg did the rest.
With RCB 15/2 at 3.3 overs, the SRH bowlers took control. If there’s one side whose bowling depth is enviable, it’s the one led by David Warner. Villiers’ AB was on the fold, but the likes of Rashid Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem and T Natarajan gave him little room to breathe.
The plight of the RCB hitters was such that even the great ABD took 20 balls for his first limit. De Villiers landed his fifth half century of the season, but received little support from the other end.
When Holder was taking a break, Natarajan was doing what he does best: bowling at will and getting results. He rocked De Villiers’ stumps with one of those beauties after firing Washington Sundar in the 18th. Rashid Khan was also economical, conceding just 22 in his four overs. When he wasn’t taking ground with his leg spinning, the Afghan star made an impact with flawless aim. It was his shot from extra coverage that knocked Moeen Ali out of a free throw shot.
Holder, however, was not yet finished for the night, as he got an advantage over Shivam Dube who was captured by David Warner.
Chasing such a low total may sound easy, but on a slowing track in Abu Dhabi, SRH’s hitters had to work hard. Mohammed Siraj fired Goswami and David Warner in the power play. As the order rate went up due to the greedy spells of Adam Zampa (1/12 in four overs) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/24), Williamson and Holder had a cool head to bring SRH home.
“Being good under pressure is really encouraging, especially when you’ve come as a replacement. A long way to go for me personally, my game is improving. I’m still young, working on my skills over the years, ”Holder, 29, said of his show.
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