PAK vs AUS 2018: Series one last chance for Jon Holland to extend his international career

Holland is a part of the Australian Test squad for the series against Pakistan in the UAE.

Jon Holland. (Getty)

As Australia embark on a new journey under new captain Tim Paine, the will be taking on Pakistan in a two-Test match series in the UAE. For a couple of players in the side, this tour will be a make or break series for them and one of them is left-arm spinner Jon Holland. 

The 31-year-old insists he's a better bowler than he was during his hurried and brief stint in the Baggy Green more than two years ago and says there'll be plenty of nerves if he's picked to partner Nathan Lyon for the first Test in Dubai on October 7.

"It definitely crossed my mind that I was probably running out of time (to play Test cricket again)," he told SEN.

"Obviously every time you play cricket you want to do well, so the nerves and everything will be there again if I do get another opportunity.

"It probably is my last crack, so I really want to put a good performance out there and hopefully I can get a couple more years in the Australian colours."

Ponting added the left-armer had a chance to end any debate about who should partner Lyon if conditions require a second spinner on future tours.

"He has been Australia's second-best spinner for some time," Ponting told cricket.com.au last week.

"Whenever he plays for Victoria, he takes wicket after wicket. He's a quality bowler. If he gets a crack at it now, he's someone who could potentially play for Australia over the next few years in the right conditions."

Holland also kept his views on his selection. "I think it was important ... there were two other spinners over there that missed out on that game," he said.

"To take on the job as the only spinner and bowl the team to victory on the last day really strengthened my case for a recall.

"Throughout the winter I’ve been I’ve been working pretty closely with our coach at Victoria Andrew McDonald on a few plans and the conditions that we might face in India and maybe the UAE if I was to be selected.

"I had a little bit of a chat with Justin Langer and some other people about what they expected the conditions to be like and what was required in those conditions. So I think I worked pretty hard in the winter and luckily enough it paid off."

Tour schedule 

Sep 29 - Oct 2: Tour match v Pak A, Dubai

Oct 7-11: First Test, Dubai

Oct 16-20: Second Test, Abu Dhabi

Australia Test squad

 Tim Paine (c), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

(Inputs from Cricket Australia)

 
 

By Anshuman Roy - 17 Sep, 2018

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