The conversation is with Michael Holding, a legendary West Indian fast bowler, who shares his experiences and thoughts about cricket, particularly the differences between Test cricket and T20. He mentions that Test cricket is the "Holy Grail" and that he's not a huge fan of T20, but acknowledges its positives, such as making cricketers more positive, aggressive, and innovative.
He also talks about the over-reliance on data analytics in the game, stating that while it's useful, it shouldn't replace common sense and natural thinking. He shares stories about his nickname "Whispering Death" and how he learned about it from a journalist, Paul Newman.
Holding also discusses the challenges of facing great batsmen, such as Vivian Richards, Javed Miandad, and Martin Crowe, and how he had to plan and strategize to bowl against them. He praises modern-day cricketers, such as Virat Kohli, for their exceptional skills and athleticism.
The conversation also touches on Holding's personal life, including his love for music and how his brother was a musician. He is dubbed the "Morgan Freeman of cricket" due to his soothing voice and storytelling style.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The person being interviewed is a legendary West Indian fast bowler.
2. In 1983, making a phone call from Mumbai required speaking to multiple operators.
3. The interviewee's nickname is "Whispering Death".
4. The nickname "Whispering Death" was given to the interviewee by a person named Paul Newman.
5. Paul Newman is not the famous actor, but a different person who writes for a daily newspaper.
6. The interviewee is not a fan of Twenty20 cricket.
7. The interviewee thinks that over-reliance on data can be a problem in cricket.
8. The interviewee believes that Test cricket is the "Holy Grail" of cricket.
9. The interviewee thinks that Twenty20 cricket has made cricketers more positive and aggressive.
10. The interviewee's brother is a musician who played with famous artists in Jamaica and Germany.
11. The interviewee's father wanted him to learn music, but he was not musically inclined.
12. The interviewee's brother was part of a band in Germany.
13. The interviewee attended a school where the headmaster was also a musician.
14. The interviewee is compared to Morgan Freeman due to his voice and style of speaking.