It was a tour that helped mitigate the ECB’s losses during the pandemic, which could have amounted to more than £380 million if its entire summer schedule had been cancelled. Each of those three trials was worth approximately £20m as they helped fulfill the board’s £1.1bn rights deal with Sky Sports.
“We rely heavily on the series between England and India, our revenue tends to come from those two teams. It’s our biggest series within any calendar year and, yes, it’s one that really brings fans to the Caribbean and creates a Really fun atmosphere.
“So it’s great to have them and see the fans filling the stadiums too. There’s always good banter between the West Indian crowd and the English crowd. So we’re grateful to have been able to have them so many times in so many years. And may it continue for a long time.”
“I’m looking forward to the contest,” Holder said. “Both teams are in a transition phase, so it will be very contested. England obviously have something to prove, and they will try some different combinations to see what works. And in the same way, with the West Indies, we.” We have many young people within our cohort, and it is important for them to gain experience, gain confidence and gain knowledge. “I believe these series will go a long way in developing our base at a rapid pace.”
“The first time I saw him was when I played against him recently in the CPL,” Holder said. “He definitely got on his feet. He seems like a very calm player. He’s got time, and any top-order batsman who shows signs of getting time is promising.
“It is important for him to learn and work hard, but the sky is the limit for him. He has scored runs at the lower levels and is coming in with some confidence. We all remember when we first came to international cricket, when we had that freedom to express yourself. And the more you express yourself and gain knowledge and confidence, that will serve us well in the years to come.
“We’ve never lacked talent,” Holder added. “It’s just a matter of harnessing the talent and making sure we make the most of it. There’s no doubt he’s someone for the future, and I hope the West Indies take steps to keep him in and around the system, and make sure he develop a consistent rhythm so we can use it for years to come.”
Holder himself has not been involved in the West Indies white-ball set-up since withdrawing from their T20 World Cup plans due to injury in June, and will instead be a studio pundit for TNT in the Kingdom United during the eight-match tour.
“I haven’t retired, there’s still a long way to go,” he said, with his sights set on the next 50-over World Cup in 2027. “We still have a few series to play before that. So we just “I’m working to get back to full fitness, get back on the field and be able to play at full capacity.”
“When you look at our overall performance, we’re probably a little disappointed that we came up short. But the beauty of this team is that it’s not too old. We still have a pretty young team that can stay together for the rest of the year. The next two years, to fight for another trophy in 2026. So I don’t think all is lost. We need to understand our strengths and weaknesses and continue to improve.
Meanwhile, look forward to another high-scoring matchup between two aggressive white-ball teams, one in which the Caribbean’s notoriously fickle winds could once again play a major role in the unfolding tactical battle.
“It’s a really crucial point,” he said. “The wind factor has always been a huge contributing factor in determining whether teams bat or bowl in the Caribbean, because it plays a very important role in the actual game. It tends to influence your tactics a little bit, in the sense that it feel more comfortable.” chase because then you know that you have a big side and a small side, to hit with and against the wind.
“It’s always 50/50 in the Caribbean when it comes to that wind factor, because you can team up with lefties and righties, and just use your power continuously throughout the innings.
“Obviously in one-day cricket, it’s a bit longer, so it’s more strategic, where you have to build an innings. But when it comes to going to hell for leather, it’s a matter of being as accurate as possible. with the tactics, because the ball can travel through the Caribbean”.
England will clearly be no stranger to the conditions after three bilateral tours plus the T20 World Cup in recent times, and Holder acknowledged that Antigua in particular will be something of a home from home, after four matches there alone in recent 12 months. .
“The English have been frequenting the Caribbean as much as they can. They have a young team, but most of their senior players have been to the Caribbean several times and will be able to guide the younger players within this team on how to navigate the conditions in the Caribbean”.
Andrew Miller is UK editor for ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket
