‘Everybody On The Field Is Fit’ – Michael Holding on Team India

The former West Indian pacer Michael Holding has spoken about Indian cricket and skipper Virat Kohli. The Indian team recently lost the WTC Final to New Zealand and in the process, the ICC Test Mace.

Holding was part of the all-time great bowling attack of the West Indies in the 70’s era. Speaking to the Indian Express, he felt that although the skill ceiling is the same, the fitness levels have gone up in the Indian team.

“Well, it’s a totally different era when it comes to Indian cricket. When I played against India, probably two of the players were fit. Now everybody on the field is fit. You see how athletic they are, how dynamic they are. The skill level hasn’t really changed that much but when you have fitness, and a change of attitude along with skill level, obviously the cricket will also change,” said Michael Holding.

He felt that the change in Indian pitches has aided them in their quest to become a cricketing super-power. During the olden days, the Indian team played on slow and low tracks but things have changed now, according to Michael Holding.

“The ball bounces a lot more and since it carries, batsmen are able to cope on overseas pitches. In my time, once India left India, that was it. The pitches that they played in India were slow and low and it became dusty.

When I did a series in India in 2014-15, when West Indies came and the tour was abandoned, each time I would do a pitch report with Sunil Gavaskar, I would joke and say, ‘Sunny, how come the pitches weren’t like this when we used to play here?’ Good pitches create good cricketers,” he stated.

‘He gets a bit carried away at times’ – Michael Holding on Virat Kohli

The Indian skipper at times tends to be over-aggressive on the pitch. Holding, who is not new to such players having played alongside Viv Richards, had a special analogy to make his point.

“Virat Kohli is someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s someone who will let you know exactly how he feels. I think he gets a bit carried away at times, but that is Virat Kohli, that is the man. He’s similar to Viv (Richards) in that regard. Viv, sometimes on the field, was over-expressive. But those are the personalities of those two gentlemen. If you are a Mustang, it’s hard to tell a Mustang to trot. He’s going to gallop,” Holding said.

Although he appreciates Virat Kohli for being his own type of person, it would definitely not hurt the team’s cause if he toned his attitude down a bit. Michael Holding said:

“As far as his captaincy, I’ve only seen India when they were touring England and I saw them in South Africa. The only thing I’d say about Virat is that he can tone down a bit so his team can relax because a lot of them, I think, are on tenterhooks.”

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