Windies suffered a big blow as captain Jason Holder was ruled out of the Bangladesh tour with a shoulder injury. Holder is said to have suffered the injury during the recent tour of India, and will need at least four weeks to recover from the setback.
“Jason has a partial thickness tear of his subscapularis tendon. He will undergo physiotherapy and strength work from the period November to December and will be reassessed in four weeks time,” Johnny Grave, CWI’s (Cricket West Indies) CEO, confirmed to Carribean News Service.
“The medical panel was concerned that if Jason was to bowl in Bangladesh, the partial tear may become a full tear which may involve the need for surgery and/or a significant break from cricket. It was, therefore, then recommended for Jason not to travel to Bangladesh and instead undergo physiotherapy and rehab in Barbados.”
Windies play Bangladesh in the Asian country in two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is starting from November 22, and Holder is expected to be out for the full set. Kraigg Brathwaite, the Windies vice-captain in Tests, is expected to take over from the all-rounder for the Tests.
The injury will come as a big blow for a Windies side hoping to establish itself once again in the longest format. They were recently blanked 2-0 in India, but Holder’s return from an ankle strain for the second Test showed how important he is to the team’s cause with both bat and ball.
“I am definitely disappointed not being able to make the tour of Bangladesh, but based on advice from the medical team, we felt this was the best course of action to deal with the ongoing issues I have been having with my shoulder,” Holder said.
“I have been having issues with my shoulder since the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe in March. Since then, I’ve been trying to manage it and the pain levels but it has gotten to a point now where I’ve got to take time to correct it so that going forward I have no further issues. Obviously I am disappointed to miss the tour, but I know the boys are capable of beating Bangladesh.”
