This story is from July 8, 2020

England vs West Indies: First Test will be a trial and error process, says Jason Holder

The biggest talking point going into the series has been to do with the ban on saliva to shine the ball due to the new ICC regulations post Covid. While James Anderson and Stuart Broad are masterful exponents of getting the ball to swing in English conditions, it remains to be seen whether the new ruling negates the advantage that the English duo might have had.
England vs West Indies: First Test will be a trial and error process, says Jason Holder
West Indies captain Jason Holder. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
CHENNAI: By a quirk of fate, Jason Holder and Ben Stokes will be pitted against each other as rival captains when the West Indies take on England at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton from Wednesday to mark the return of international cricket after a four-month hiatus.
With Joe Root missing the Test for the birth of his second child, Stokes is taking up the captaincy for the very first time, putting the focus on the ginger-haired all-rounder in the lead-up to the first Test.
The attention being on Stokes is something Holder has become accustomed to despite the fact that it is the West Indian who is ranked the No. 1 Test all-rounder in the world currently. Holder has been under the shadow of Stokes, whose flamboyant playing style and persona afford him larger-than-life status.
The 28-year-old agrees that Stokes gets talked up more for his cricketing skills, but he is not too perturbed by it. "I don't like to get into personal accolades. Stokes has always been talked up, and quite rightfully so since he is a very good cricketer. But the ICC rankings say I am the No. 1 all-rounder and I maybe don't get the credit I deserve. But I don't get too caught up with it. Journalists and others on social media are there to write what they want and I am here merely to play cricket," Holder said during a video press conference on Tuesday ahead of the series-opener.
The biggest talking point going into the series has been to do with the ban on saliva to shine the ball due to the new ICC regulations post Covid. While James Anderson and Stuart Broad are masterful exponents of getting the ball to swing in English conditions, it remains to be seen whether the new ruling negates the advantage that the English duo might have had.
"We will have to wait and see. I really can't judge the impact it will have. The first Test will be more of a trial and error. Conditions would have a lot to do with it. If the weather is colder, we won't sweat as much. In that case, I am not sure how we can get moisture to apply on the ball," he observed.
There has been a prolonged build-up to this series, of course, due to the unprecedented circumstances that have preceded it. Not surprisingly then, the West Indian captain can't wait to have his players get into the thick of the action. "The mood in the camp is very good. We have had four weeks of preparation. There has been a lot of talk for a couple of weeks now. Most of the boys are eagerly awaiting that first ball," he said.
Despite all the new protocols and uncertainty, Holder interestingly felt that there hadn't been much difference in the game preparation for this tour in comparison to previous ones. "The only difference is the health protocols. As far as the cricket-related things are concerned, it has more or less been the same. Obviously, there is the adjustment with no saliva. In terms of preparation, though, it has been the same as any other tour," he pointed out.
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