Standard of Test cricket is not dying at all, feels Holding

From the evidence of the recent past, Test Cricket has been at its absolute best, and the World Test Championship final bore testimony to the same. Across four days of Test Cricket, Southampton saw incredible fights from both sides before New Zealand emerged as the winners at the end. Michael Holding believes that the standard of Test Cricket is at its peak but somehow the interest level on the sport has dwindled big-time.

"When people say 'Test cricket is dying', you first have to understand what they are referring to. And in what context they are saying 'Test cricket is dying'. If you look at it, in the context of people attending tests and interest in Test cricket, I don't think you could disagree with anyone that the interest and attendance at Test cricket has gone down tremendously. 

"It is no longer at the top of people's lists. When you think of the standard of cricket being played and how entertaining it is, there's absolutely no way you can say that Test cricket is dying, because the standard of cricket that you're watching, and the entertainment value from Test cricket...as far as I'm concerned it is alive and well." Holding said on TOI Sportscast.

Holding, a staunch supporter of the Test cricket fundamentals, was one of the commentators for the WTC final and was fully satisfied with the quality of the Test. The legendary pacer stated that it is a shame that the interest level is not that high for the longest format of the game.

"When you watch two Test teams taking part in a Test match, I don't think there could be anything better. The ebbs and flows throughout the five days, if it lasts that long, I think is fantastic. But you cannot argue with anyone who says that the interest in it, and the attendance and the priority that people give to Test cricket has certainly waned." Holding further said.