Sri Lanka’s leading bowler Muttiah Muralitharan has his sights set on claiming 600 test wickets, but still believes Australian Shane Warne is the world’s best spinner.
The 30-year-old off-spinner is currently in Melbourne receiving treatment from leading Australian surgeon David Young on a shoulder injury he sustained while fielding in the Sharjah Cup earlier this month.
“I would like 600 wickets, that’s about another 180,” Muralitharan told reporters.
“It’s hard to take wickets. It depends on how good you play because sometimes you can drop down, or you can do well. It depends on how you do.”
Muralitharan recently became the youngest player to take 400 test wickets but said the difficulty associated with bowling leg-spin meant that Warne was still the best.
“I think he is the greatest spinner because wrist spin is very hard to bowl. It’s difficult to control the ball,” he said.
Both Muralitharan (412) and Warne (450) are closing in on West Indian Courtney Walsh’s record of 519 test wickets.
Muralitharan’s shoulder injury means he is likely to miss much of Sri Lanka’s forthcoming tour of England.
can he do it? I think he can, if he stays injury free.
I was hoping our Saqqi boy would beat Murlitharan to it..but he’s really not performed well at all since 1998..i wonder what happened. he used to be such a class act back in the day..hmm maybe the goras have finally figured out his secret weapon etc ;confused:
“WatCh youR tHoughtS; they become words. WatCh youR wOrdS; they become actions. WatCh youR aCtiOns; they become habits. WatCh youR hAbiTs; they become character. WatCh youR chaRactEr; it becomes your dEsTinY."
The pace he was taking wickets against Bangladesh, Westindies, and Zimbabwe, then he could have gone to 1000 wickets without a doubt but since he has to play against other teams, it wouldn't be likely to happen.
Everyone remeber Mushtaq Ahmed and Shane Warne in the early ninties, they were taking wickets at very same speed against quality batting teams were expected to go over 550 as well, Mushtaq is out of the picture and Shane Warne, who still a good bowler but isn't that effective like the way he was against England in the 93 Ashes test series.
Since then shoulder surgery, he isn't taking that many wickets.
Same thing is going with Murali currently, but you never know, he can comeback as an even stronger bowler.
But I have to admit that he is the greatest bowler I have ever seen, overall, including fast and slow bowlers.