Former WI captain named as Wisden Cricketer of the Year

LONDON – Former Test captain Jason Holder has been named as one of Wisden’s five Cricketers-of-the-Year, further bolstering an already mushrooming international profile and confirming his status as one of the world’s elite players.

The 29-year-old was announced late Wednesday on the prestigious list, joining Englishmen Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley and Darren Stevens, along with Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, as the five most influential players identified by cricket’s most respected and authoritative voice.

In making the announcement, Wisden said Holder “was at the helm when West Indies toured England and played a central role in his side’s only win over England” during last year’s historic three-Test tour at the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

While his returns from five Tests last year were modest, Holder was rewarded for his leadership role in the ground-breaking first-ever bio-secure Test series against England which signalled the resumption of international cricket following a lockdown due to the virus.

He snatched six for 42 in the first innings of the opening Test at the Rose Bowl in Southampton to bundle the hosts out for a paltry 204, and lay the foundation for the visitors’ four-wicket victory.