Michael Holding believes it might be challenging for the likes of Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers to hit their natural shots against the likes of Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar.
Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding has said that it might be difficult for the likes of Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers to play their natural shots against bowlers with "real pace."
Holding spoke on the topic during an Instagram Live session with Nikhil Naz. When asked how he would bowl to players like Rohit and AB, he said that they might find it a challenge to play with their natural game against the fastest bowlers in the world.
"I think batsmen play their shots depending upon the pace of the bowlers. Those players and the shots that you are talking about I would like to see them play those shots against someone with real pace," Holding said.
"Dale Steyn for instance or a Brett Lee or a Shoaib Akhtar. If they can play shots like that against that pace I'll start to worry about what I am going to do. With the kind of pace I used to bowl, I wouldn't be worried about those shots being played."
Holding also talked about the ban on the use of saliva on the ball, insisting that sweat "will do the same job as saliva." (ALSO READ: 'Racism is not okay': Archer supports 'Black Lives Matter' movement)
"Cricketers will take sometime to adjust. It's a natural reaction... you are on the field and you want to shine the ball you just put your finger inside your mouth. They will have to practice that they don't do it," Holding said.
"If you are doing it honestly it's just saliva... if you are sucking sweets then you have more than saliva.
"All you need to do is get moisture on the ball. You can get that from your sweat. It will do the same job as saliva. And I haven't heard anyone say that COVID-19 can spread through perspiration," he added.
