by It was a tour that helped mitigate the ECB’s losses during the pandemic, which would have been more than £380 million had its entire summer program been canceled. Each of those three tests was worth around £20m as they helped fulfill the board’s £1.1bn rights deal with Sky Sports.
“We rely heavily on series between England and India, our revenue usually comes from these two teams. It’s our biggest series in a calendar year and, yes, it really brings the fans to the Caribbean and creates a really fun atmosphere.
“It’s great to have them and to see the fans filling the stadiums too. There is always a good joke between the West Indian public and the English public. That’s why we’re grateful that we’ve been able to have her there so many times in as many years. And long may it continue like this.
“I’m looking forward to the competition,” said Holder. “Both teams are in a transition phase so it will be hard fought. England obviously have something to prove and they will try a few different combinations to see what works. And similarly, we have an opportunity in the West Indies.” We have a lot of young people in our cohort and it’s important that they just gain experience, gain confidence and gain knowledge. I think these series will go a long way in quickly developing our base.
“The first time I saw him was when I played against him in the CPL recently,” Holder said. “He definitely prevailed. He seems to be a very easy-going player. He has time, and any top batter who shows signs of having 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 levels below and comes into the game with some confidence. We all remember the time when we first got into international cricket, when we had that.” And the more he expresses himself and gains knowledge and confidence, it will stand us in good stead in the years to come.
“We have never been short of talent,” Holder added. “It’s just about harnessing the talent and making sure we utilize it to its fullest potential. There’s no doubt he’s one for the future and I hope West Indies do everything they can to keep him in and around the system and make sure he develops a consistent pace so we can be able to use it in the coming years.
Holder himself has not been part of the West Indies’ white-ball lineup since the West Indies’ T20 World Cup plans were canceled due to injury in June and will instead act as a studio pundit for TNT in the UK during the eight-match tour.
“I’m not retired yet, there’s still a long way to go,” he said, looking ahead to the next 50-over World Cup in 2027. “We still have a few series to play before then. So I’m just working on getting back to full fitness, getting back on the field and being able to play at full capacity.”
“If you look at our overall performance, we’re probably a little disappointed that we came up short. But the nice thing about this squad is that it’s not too old yet. We still have a fairly young team that can still hold together. “We have to fight for another trophy in 2026 in the next two years. So I don’t think all is lost. We need to understand our strengths and weaknesses and just keep improving.
In the meantime, he’s anticipating another high-scoring showdown between two aggressive white-ball sides, with the Caribbean’s notoriously fickle winds once again set to play a big role in the tactical battle ahead.
“This is a really crucial point,” he said. “The wind factor has always been a deciding factor in whether teams bat or bowl in the Caribbean because it plays a big role in the actual game. It tends to influence your tactics a little bit in the sense that you feel more comfortable chasing, because then you know you have a big side and a small side to beat with and against the wind.
“In the Caribbean it’s always 50/50 when it comes to the wind factor because you can put a team together with lefties and righties and just use their power continuously throughout the innings.”
“Obviously in one-day cricket it’s a bit longer so it’s more strategic, you actually have to build an innings. But when it comes to getting through with leather, it’s a matter of being as precise as possible with the tactics, because the ball can travel in the Caribbean.”
After three bilateral tours and the T20 World Cup recently, England will obviously be no stranger to these conditions and Holder admitted Antigua in particular will be something of a second home after four games there in the last 12 months.
“The English visited the Caribbean as often as possible. They have a young team, but the majority of their older players have been to the Caribbean several times and they will be able to guide the younger players on how to cope with the conditions in the Caribbean.
Andrew Miller is the UK editor of ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket
