The spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan retired from test cricket after claiming his 800th victim Pragyan Ojha, in a span of 18 years, at the end of the first test against India in Galle. At the start of the test, he needed eight wickets to achieve the milestone and the wizard did it in style with grit and determination. Currently, the Sri Lankan bowler is the highest wicket-taker in both Tests and One Day Internationals.
By claiming the wicket of Gautam Gambhir on February 5, 2009, in the home series, Muralitharan surpassed Wasim Akram's ODI record of 502 wickets. On December 3, 2007, Muralitharan broke Shane Warne’s record of highest wicket-taker. In 2004, he eclipsed Courtney Walsh's record of 519 wickets.
Claiming six wickets per Test, the spinner was a successful bowler. For a record period of 1,711 days spanning 214 Test matches, Muralitharan held the top spot in International Cricket Council’s player rankings for Test bowlers.
Murali’s rise to the top has not been rosy. He has been under the scanner for his bowling action by umpires and the cricketing fraternity. The ICC first cleared Muralitharan's action in 1996, after bio-mechanical analysis under simulated playing conditions, and also three years later. Again in 2004, Muralitharan’s doosra was questioned. In 2005, after analysis, ICC revised the limits for all bowlers.
After claiming Gambhir’s wicket, Muralitharan expressed his desire to quit cricket and said that he would hang his boots after 2011 World Cup. “I think I am fit in my body and mind, I am enjoying my cricket and want to play more. But after the next World Cup, I would have nothing left to achieve in the game,” he said.
Born on April 17, 1972, in Nattarampotha village, in Kundasale (near Kandy), Muralitharan is the eldest of four sons to Sinnasamy Muttiah and Lakshmi. At the age of nine, he was packed off to St. Anthony's College, Kandy. There he began his cricketing career as a medium pacer and on the advice of the school coach, Sunil Fernando, pursued off-spin at the age of 14. For four years in succession, he played in his school team. In the last two seasons, at school, Muralitharan claimed over 100 wickets and won the Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 1990/91.
Leaving school, in 1991, he enrolled with Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club and found a place in the Sri Lanka A team bound for England. He failed to take a wicket despite turning out in five games. He, however, showed his skills in a practice match against Allan Border's team and was picked to represent the country in the second Test match thus making his Test debut at R. Premadasa Stadium.
Cricket Australia honoured the Sri Lankan after he became the highest wicket-taker in 2007, by unveiling the new Warne-Muralidaran Trophy, to be contested between Australia and Sri Lanka.
Like all test cricketers, Muralitharan has also played county cricket in England, mainly for Lancashire (1999, 2001, 2005 and 2007). During the 2003 season, he played five first class games for Kent. In English domestic cricket, Muralitharan has claimed 236 wickets at 15.62 runs in 33 matches.
India Cements picked Muralitharan for $600,000, in February 2008, for the Twenty20 cricket and thus he turned out for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In 2010, Muralitharan was part of the Chennai Super Kings side that won the IPL championship.
Muralitharan is the only Tamil of Indian origin to play for Sri Lanka in international cricket. He is married to Madhimalar Ramamurthy, daughter of late Dr S Ramamurthy of Malar Hospitals, and his wife Dr Nithya Ramamurthy.
Speaking about Murali’s family, his manager, Kushil Gunasekera said that the player’s family was closely knit and united. They respect traditional values, he added.
Former Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds said that the game would lose its charm without Muralitharan and it would be difficult to fill his place.
Muralitharan’s Bowling Prowess
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Figures against all opponents
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Versus
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M
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O
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M
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R
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W
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5w
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10w
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Best
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Avg
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S/R
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E/R
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|
Australia
|
13*
|
685.3
|
100
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2128
|
59
|
5
|
1
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6 for 59
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36.07
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69.7
|
3.1
|
|
Bangladesh
|
11
|
452.0
|
114
|
1190
|
89
|
11
|
4
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6 for 18
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13.37
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30.4
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2.6
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|
England
|
16
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1102.1
|
348
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2247
|
112
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8
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4
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9 for 65
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20.06
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59.0
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2.0
|
|
India
|
22
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1125.2
|
215
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3297
|
105
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7
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2
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8 for 87
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32.32
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66.1
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2.9
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New Zealand
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14
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753.2
|
203
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1776
|
82
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5
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1
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6 for 87
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21.53
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55.1
|
2.3
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|
Pakistan
|
16
|
782.5
|
184
|
2027
|
80
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5
|
1
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6 for 71
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25.46
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58.7
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2.6
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South Africa
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15
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984.4
|
221
|
2311
|
104
|
11
|
4
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7 for 84
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22.22
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56.8
|
2.3
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West Indies
|
12
|
622.3
|
143
|
1609
|
82
|
9
|
3
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8 for 46
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19.62
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45.5
|
2.6
|
|
Zimbabwe
|
14
|
786.5
|
259
|
1467
|
87
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6
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2
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9 for 51
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16.86
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54.2
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1.9
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Overall (9)
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133
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7339.5
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1794
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18180
|
800
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67
|
22
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9 for 51
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22.72
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55.0
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2.5
|
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Source: Internet
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