India assured its support to Sri Lanka's beleaguered spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, whose doosra delivery has been banned by the International Cricket Council, saying the bowler is "pride and pleasure" for Indians as well.
After talks with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse in Colombo on Thursday, India's ambassador to the country Nirupam Sen said New Delhi is keen to back the ace spinner.
"Muralitharan is a pride not only to Sri Lankans. He is a pride and pleasure to Indians too. I will ask the Indian Cricket Board to help him in any way possible," he told reporters.
The remarks came after he held closed-door talks with the Sri Lankan premier seeking support for suing the ICC over its decision to ban Muralitharan's doosra.
Rajapakse received Sen at his official Temple Trees residence for the talks, officials said.
On Wednesday he had said he was seeking support from the other three Test-playing nations in South Asia -- Bangladesh, India and Pakistan -- over Murali's issue.
Rajapakse has also made elaborate arrangements to welcome Muralitharan, who returned to a hero's welcome today after Sri Lanka's tour of Zimbabwe during which he set the world record of Test wickets.
The Sri Lankan premier has mounted a campaign to defend the star off-spinner after Australian Premier John Howard described him as a "chucker".
