Happy 48th Birthday to Muttiah Muralithaaran

Muttiah Muralitharan, one of the legendary spin bowlers in the history of cricket, born today on 1972, at Kandy. He hails from a South Indian decent, where his grandfather is originally from Trichy, came to Sri Lanka for tea plantation work, and his family settled there. He has Srilankan Citizenship as well as Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI). You might have been thinking why I have been speaking about his personal life. Let us see about his cricketing career.

He made his international cricket debut against Australia in 1992. His action was bit so confusing for the batsman facing him, as even though being a spin bowler, his arm speed is as fast as a pace bowler. Also, his action received many controversies over the years. He is of one assert for Sri Lankan Cricket Team. Even from his start of his career, he faced controversies and eventually cleared his controversies by clearing the tests and analysis conducted by ICC and major famous Universities. Also, from his bowling action, ICC liberated in its law, from having an angle for spin bowler for just 5 degrees to 15 degrees, as it would should an accurate angle of bending his arm and easy to watch. 

He was the only bowler to take 800 wickets in test cricket, and 534 wickets in ODI cricket, combined 1334 wickets, most in International cricket. He had a war between Shane Warne, the greatest ever, where who would claim most wickets in International cricket (particularly Test cricket), where Muralidharan broke Hayden Walsh's most wickets in 2004, which was broken by Warne at the same year. Then, in 2006, he surpassed Shane Warne's most wickets 708 wickets and also during his final delivery of his last test match, he claimed his 800th wicket, making him the first and only one to reach this feat.

There were tests going on his bowling action, and one such thing was arm braced test, where his right bowling arm is a brace, made up of steel, which restricts him arm to bend and also prevents extension of his arm. He eventually passed this test, and was even to bowl his two types of off spin, a top spinner delivery and a doosra, with much ease, which clarified that he has a conigenital defect in his arm, which pretends to extension of his arm, but not. Also, many cricketers criticized his bowling action, including the likes of Martin Crowe, Adam Gilchrist.

He achieved the feat of scalping 10 wickets in 4 consecutive test matches, in 2006. In that same year, he has been awarded Wisden Leading Cricketer of the year. He is also the one who mastered doosra, which turns opposite to off spin, where in off spin ball tends to go into a right handed batsman, while in doosra, it tends to turn opposite. Many weren't able to judge whether he his bowling doosra and Off spinner deivery. Yuvraj Singh in his interview, said that he was clueless against how to tackle Muralitharan. He retired in Tests around 2010, while announced his international retirement in 2011, a day after the World Cup final against India in 2011. The series played between Australia and Sri Lanka, were named as Warne - Muralitharan Trophy at 2007, and till now this name has been followed. He has also been named as " Don Bradman of Bowling". 

Many cricketers including Sachin Tendulkar, Adam Gilchrist, Alastair Cook, Mathew Hayden found it hard to tackle him and especially Tendulkar put special attention by having 4 to 5 spinners bowl to him in different variations and improved his technique against both Warne and Murali. The greatest ever, has proved that " whenever there are opposition for a person, he shines even more brighter than ever" and also " If there are hatred, he is doing something right in his profession", which both were proved in his entire 19 year career of international cricket. Srilankan cricket, won't get another Muralitharan and it is their gift which they preserved and celebrated well.