It has been widely reported that Michael Holding has retired from commentating, but Sky Sports’ Director of Cricket has refuted those claims.
Michael Holding breaks down when talking about the personal experience of racism. Sky Sports’ Director of Cricket Bryan Henderson has denied reports that West Indies legend Michael Holding has retired from commentary.
On Wednesday, reports surfaced that Holding was planning to retire from broadcasting following more than 20 years of coverage for Sky’s acclaimed cricket coverage. However, Henderson was quick to refute these claims, responding to a tweet about Holding’s retirement and writing: “It’s not true”.
Last year, Holding spoke about his future as a commentator, saying: “I am not too sure how much further than 2020 I will be going with commentary.”
“I cannot see myself going much further down the road at my age. I am now 66 years old, not 36, 46, 56 or 56. I told [Sky] that I could not commit to more than a year at a time. If this year gets totally destroyed, I might have to think about 2021 because I can’t just walk away from Sky, a company that has done so much good for me.”
The 67-year old was remembered quickly, despite the confusion surrounding his retirement. Former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeted: “Michael Holding is a legendary bowler .. Commentator .. Campaigner .. but even a more so a GREAT guy who will be sorely missed around the Comm boxes .. Happy retirement Mikie ..”
Ex-West Indies quick Ian Bishop also wrote: “From the very first day I met him, Michael Holding has always been kind, understanding and encouraging to me; even when I messed up.
“I am privileged to call him friend and mentor. I will be grateful for the lessons he gave me. India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who worked with Holding on Sky’s coverage of recent England vs India Test series, tweeted: “Michael HOLDING – “Mikey” An absolute gentleman with a strong view but a soft-hearted, warm person.
“The kind of person you’d walk into a war with. Although I only had a short time with him, we made many memories. I loved his straightforward nature and his warm smile. Happy retirement!”