Ace Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan says Sachin Tendulkar is legend of cricket, but getting the 171 runs he needs to better Brian Lara's record on the tour of Sri Lanka won't be easy.
Playing in his 124th Test, the 37-year-old became the first Indian and the third bowler overall to complete the feat.
Ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has also been included in the team's 15-man squad.
'For the Tamil Nadu protestors to openly ask popular film actor Vijay Sethupathi not to don Murali in 800 is a travesty in every sense. It may have given them a cause to tell the world, and the governments in New Delhi, Colombo and Chennai, that the Sri Lankan ethnic issue was still alive in the state -- more so, during the current run-up to two major events in the first half of 2021,' says N Sathiya Moorthy.
All-rounder Andrew Symonds has urged Australian crowds to applaud Muttiah Muralitharan if the controversial off-spinner breaks Shane Warne's test wickets record when Sri Lanka tour Down Under in November.
Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan claimed 4-30 to equal Shane Warne's world record for the most test wickets on the second day of the first Test against England on Sunday. Muralitharan ripped through England's top order after lunch to reduce the tourists to 186 for six shortly before tea when rain washed out play for the day.
'I must say hats off to him. He is a great bowler, great guy to be with,' said the India off-spinner while congratulating the Sri Lankan on equaling the world record tally of 708 Test wickets.
After criticising Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan as a 'chucker', India's former left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi has trained his gun at compatriot Harbhajan Singh, saying "he is no different".
The selectors offered the pair, the most successful bowlers in Sri Lanka's one-day international history, an opportunity to rest because both have niggling injuries.
South Africa's Dale Steyn climbed to third in the International Cricket Council Test bowling rankings following his match-winning performances against New Zealand. The 24-year-old fast bowler took 20 wickets in his team's 2-0 series win over New Zealand, moving up five spots to lie just behind team mate Makhaya Ntini in the rankings.
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the fastest bowler to reach the milestone of 300 Test wickets in his 54th match, breaking Dennis Lillee's record during India's win over Sri Lanka in the second Test, in Nagpur on Monday.
A patient century from Thilan Samaraweera helped Sri Lanka recover to 268 all out at the close of play on the third day of the second Test on Saturday, setting West Indies a victory target of 253. The tourists were reeling at 99 for six but a seventh-wicket stand of 138 between Samaraweera (125) and Chaminda Vaas (45) hauled Sri Lanka back into the game
Sri Lanka clawed their way back into the second Test on Friday, snapping up six West Indies wickets in the final session. The home team was 268 for 7 at close on the second day, having gone into tea in complete command on 133 for 1 in reply to Sri Lanka's 278 all out.
West Indies were 269 for nine, needing seven runs to save follow-on, at the end of the third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan off-spinner can expect a warm welcome from Australian crowds next month, Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said.
Muttiah Muralitharan was run-out as he went to congratulate centurion Kumar Sangakkara against New Zealand.
Timid officiating has allowed a generation of 'chuckers' to flourish in international cricket and the current crackdown on bowlers with illegal actions has arrived two decades late, according to former Test umpire Darrell Hair.
Sri Lankan cricket board announced that it had cleared seven players to play in the Indian Premier League.
Sri Lanka picked a four-man pace attack with all rounder Farveez Maharoof taking the place of injured spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.
The 35-year-old off-spinner was ruled out of the tournament after straining his bicep while playing in English county cricket.
Sri Lanka announced an unchanged 15-man squad for the second Test against South Africa which starts in Colombo on August 11.
The 35-year-old has been bamboozling batsmen for 15 years now on the international scene and yet still somehow retains the element of surprise.
Kohli's much-hyped stint at Surrey was eventually ruled out after he suffered a neck injury.
Pacer Ishant Sharma became the 12th Indian to take 150 Test wickets when he dismissed opener Hamish Rutherford on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand, in Auckland, on Thursday.
Michael Vandort scored an unbeaten 50 as Sri Lanka shook off a poor start to close on 105 for two, 246 runs behind England, on the second day of the second test on Monday. England were earlier bowled out for 351 after resuming on 258 for five.
Muttiah Muralitharan became the second player to claim 700 Test wickets in guiding Sri Lanka to an innings and 193-run victory over Bangladesh in the third and final match of their series on Saturday.
Spinner Muttiah Muralitharan claimed a match haul of 9-140 to propel Sri Lanka to an 88-run victory in the first Test against England on Wednesday.
England face a challenge to save the first Test against Sri Lanka, but a docile pitch gives them hope of salvaging a draw
India captain Anil Kumble showered rich tributes on Muttiah Muralitharan saying the ace off-spinner can scale the 1000-wicket mark in Tests.
Spinner Muttiah Muralitharan broke Shane Warne's all-time Test wickets record and Sanath Jayasuriya scored 78 in the second innings on the third day of the first Test to pave the way for Sri Lanka to edge into control against England on Monday.
Rajneesh Gupta presents some interesting numbers from Day 2:
Bangladesh slumped to an innings and 234 run defeat in the first Test with Muttiah Muralitharan claiming a match haul of nine for 102.
After dismissing Bangladesh for a paltry 89, Sri Lanka amassed 227 for three by close on Day 1 of the first Test.
All the affected persons had eaten on Tuesday at the food court set up by the university at the venue.
Australia rode on Phil Jaques's maiden Test century to post a handsome 242 for 3 on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka.
The withdrawal of top players is a big setback for the tournament even before it could start.
On the lines of the Border-Gavaskar trophy featuring India and Australia, the Sri Lanka Cricket mooted the idea to name Sri Lanka-Australia series after spin greats Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.
'It's been a love-hate relationship'
The 35-year-old, Sri Lanka's most dangerous bowler, is recovering from a tendon strain in his right bicep, an injury that also ruled him out of the recent Twenty20 World Cup.
Kuldeep is in his fourth season with the KKR but it's only in the recent past that he has cemented his place in the Indian team as its go-to spinner along with Yuzvendra Chahal in the limited overs game.
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