jason holder He had to wait for his chance at Gujarat Titans, but when the chance came, the West Indies all-rounder clearly reminded why the franchise had invested Rs 7 crore on him in the auction. Holder, who was brought into the eleven in place of Glenn Phillips, produced a decisive all-round performance in Gujarat’s four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore on Thursday.The 34-year-old took 2/29, took three catches, including a controversial one, and then contributed with the bat in a 30-run partnership with Rahul Tewatia as GT bowled out RCB for 155 and completed the chase with 25 balls to spare. Obviously, he was adjudged player of the match.For a Titans team that traded Sherfane Rutherford to Mumbai Indians in the off-season and was looking for a reliable middle-order option who could also bowl, Holder’s performance was timely validation. Vikram Solanki, GT’s director of cricket, said, “When we were pursuing Jason in the auction, it was in mind that he would be able to fulfill both the roles with bat and ball, so he offers us exactly that.” “If you look at the last calendar year and probably a little bit longer than that, his numbers at five and six have been quite excellent.“Obviously, Holder has all the abilities you need. Physically, he is a strong guy, he has great reach and impact as far as the bat is concerned, so all the technical stuff is covered. He is now bringing an extra dimension, a sprinkling of stardust if you like, of being a really experienced campaigner. I think that is what is going on,” Solanki said.Holder’s influence was not limited to his wickets. His catch to dismiss Patidar ended a 44-run partnership and he later gave a good chance to send back Tim David and Krunal Pandya. With the bat, he helped the chase along with Tewatia.Solanki said Holder’s growing understanding of his game, built through years of international and franchise cricket, has made him a valuable presence in pressure situations. “He has proved over the years in international cricket and franchise cricket what a balanced player he is. He is constantly getting better,” Solanki said. “Any player who has played around the world for a long time, led teams, and been a part of different teams, starts to understand what needs to be done in any given situation. Jason is definitely doing that.Holder has played 96 T20 matches for the West Indies and has captained the national team in all formats. Solanki said that the young GT players are also benefiting from the experience. Solanki said, “You often get people who have a lot of experience who maybe can’t even articulate it. Jason will always be willing to have a conversation, whether it’s with the coaching group or with the young people around him, to impart a little bit of his experience.”“