You never know what's par score for team like India: Holder

Guwahati: Overwhelmed by the sheer domination of Indian batsmen at home, West Indies skipper Jason Holder on Sunday said “you never know what’s the par score for a team like India.”

Despite chasing a huge 323, skipper Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma made the first ODI a lop-sides contest. The Indians cruised to the target in 42.1 overs for a 1-0 lead.

“Against a team like India you never know what’s the par-score. In hindsight, 320 was probably a par score. At the half way stage I thought we had a par score but we were probably 30 runs short,” Holder said at the post-match press conference.

Holder, though, chose to count on the positives and said they were pleased to get past 300.

“It’s good to see we batted all the overs. I still think there are a lot positives. Inexperience did show. It’s just matter of us learn quickly and correct our mistakes.”

With Kohli and Sharma in full flow, Holder said the “only way out is to get them out”.

“They are two quality players. I think we erred in giving them too many boundaries. Up front we went to get wickets as that was the only way to put them under pressure. We were able to get Shikhar Dhawan early but at the end of the day both Kohli and Sharma played outstanding innings.”

Shimron Hetmyer’s 106 was the high point of their innings and the skipper said he could have gone a bit deeper.

“Probably it would have taken us a bit further into the innings but still credit to the young player to get his third ton,” he said.

“Obviously he had a lean patch in the Test series. So it was good to see him get a score on the board. I am not too disheartened by the game today. Yes the game was taken away from us Kohli and Sharma.

“It’s a matter for us to learn as fast as we can. Hopefully we can get into their middle order a little sooner,” he said.