Michael Holding stated a few reasons for change in performance of the modern-day Indian cricket team. He claimed that the development of pitches in India have led to better displays of the Indian players in overseas conditions.
The West Indian legend also believes that the fitness levels of the Indian players coupled with a change in attitude compared to the teams of the yester-year has completely transformed the Indian cricket team from the sides that played during his heydays.
Holding also claimed that the skill level of Indian players is on par with the players of the past. However, the development of pitches in India and a fearless attitude have brought success to the team in overseas conditions.
“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,” Holding told Indian Express.
“The skill level hasn’t really changed that much but when you have fitness, and change of attitude along with skill level, obviously the cricket will also change.
“What has also helped Indian cricket is that a lot of pitches in India, for domestic cricket and cricket in general, have improved. 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,” Holding added.
He also mentioned that he once asked Sunil Gavaskar as to why the Indian pitches back in the day were not like the ones being developed right now.
“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 Sunny 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 signed off.
