Leon Johnson will open the batting tomorrow: Jason Holder

Ahead of the third Test match against India to be played at the Darren Sammy Stadium, West Indies skipper Jason Holder has gone on to confirm that Leon Johnson will indeed open the batting along with Kraigg Brathwaite. Johnson, who had missed out on the first two Tests in spite of being in the squad has been handed an opportunity at the Test level after the WICB selectors made the executive decision to cut opener Rajendra Chandrika loose.

The West Indies have had serious problems with their opening batsmen with most of the partnerships concluding in single digits. With Kraigg Brathwaite having made a few runs, it was clear that Chandrika would be the casualty. “To nip it in the bud, Leon Johnson will open the batting tomorrow. He’s the next opener in the line, so he will come into the squad to replace Chandrika. I wish him the very best, hopefully, he’ll get some runs,” Jason Holder said.

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The West Indies skipper added that it was important to play the patient game. “I think it’s important for each batsman to play their game. Whether you are a stroke player or someone who’s a lot more patient. You have to work out what your game plan is, what’s best suited for you. I think if you look at our middle order, it’s a bit more free spirited in terms of stroke play and our top order is a little bit more conservative, especially at the beginning. But as they spend some time, they tend to flourish.

“For me, if I look back at the first two Test matches, the difference is that the top order hasn’t really been getting in. I think they need to work a little harder in getting in. Once they get in, the likes of Bravo and Brathwaite and Samuels, we all know what they can do once they get a start. It’s just about just getting a start, and get them going and carry it on from there.”

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Finally, Jason Holder concluded by stating that only victories against top teams would bring the fans back to the stadium. “I would love for more people to watch cricket. Recently, you see a lot of people coming out to see the T20 and the one-day stuff. You get a bit more party-like atmosphere, a bit more vibrant. For the last, number of years, the crowds for Test cricket have been really, really down. I’ve been trying to scratch my brain to see ways I can suggest how to get more people into the stands, but I think good performances is one way to get crowds coming back.”