Batsmen have to take more responsibility: Holder

Blaming the batsmen for the huge 237-run loss to India in the third Test, West Indies' skipper Jason Holder said that the top order needed to be more consistent and take responsibility.
Chasing 346, West Indies were bowled out for a mere 108 to hand India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
"At the top, predominantly we haven't been consistent. We are not getting starts we've been looking for. In the situation, the batsmen at the top need to come to the party and be a lot more consistent," Holder said after the end of the match.
"It's difficult for anybody who is going to lead a team. We've been inconsistent. India are in a position where they have consistent players. They have players who have been consistent for many, many years. We've got a number of young players. We're trying to build a side. It's going to take time. The batsmen, if they get 20 or 30, should convert it into 50, 70 and 100 and beyond," he added.

On day five, India declared their second innings at 217 for seven, pushing for a win. West Indies needed to bat out 87 overs to save the Test but they folded without much of a fight.
"Most of the batsmen have spent time initially but they haven't ticked on the scoreboard as well as we would like. I can't speak for every batsman and it is a situation where they need to cope, how we are going to score and how we are going to occupy the crease. The responsibility is on the batsmen," said Holder.

The home team skipper complimented the 213-run partnership between Ravichandran Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha that turned the match around for India after the visitors were reduced to 130 for 5 in their first innings at one stage.

"We haven't been able to put up reasonable first innings totals which have hampered us in the recent past. If you don't put up a good first innings total, you are chasing the game. We need to knuckle down as batsmen, we need to be accountable for our actions," Holder said.
Holder said it would be difficult for his team to cope with the loss.
"It is going to be difficult (for a young bowling attack to cope with this loss). Test cricket is very difficult. I have played first-class cricket and been privileged to play Test cricket as well. I can tell you there's a lot of difference between the two. Our bodies are accustomed to the workloads of international cricket but it is far different.

"For instance you can play a first-class game where a fast bowler hardly bowls the amount of overs we have bowled in this series. For the last 5-10 years we have had spinners dominating domestic cricket in terms of wickets taken. So it is a transition that we have to open and adjust to as quickly as possible. It is by no means easy and sometimes we don't make it easy for ourselves," he said.