Muttiah Muralitharan: Sri Lanka's 800 Test Wickets, Off-Spin Master, Greatest Wicket-Taker
Muttiah Muralitharan is the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket history with 800 wickets at 22.72 in 133 Tests. Born in Kandy, Sri Lanka, in 1972, he was a right-arm off-spin bowler with an exceptional doosra (a ball that turns the other way, from off to leg for a right-hander, bowled with an off-spin action). He played 133 Tests and 350 ODIs, taking 534 ODI wickets at 23.08 — also the most in ODI history. His career began in 1992 and he retired after his final Test against India in July 2010 — on the milestone of exactly 800 Test wickets. His action was repeatedly scrutinised and cleared by the ICC. He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1999 and was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2014.
Muttiah Muralitharan was born on 17 April 1972 in Kandy, Sri Lanka. He made his Test debut against Australia in August 1992. His bowling action was unorthodox — he had a hyper-mobile wrist and elbow that allowed him to impart exceptional spin and movement without a conventional over-the-top delivery stride. He was called for throwing by Australian umpire Darrell Hair in 1995 and again in 1999; the ICC examined his action on multiple occasions and cleared him each time. The ICC's final ruling established that all bowlers can straighten their elbow up to 15 degrees; Muralitharan's natural hyper-mobility fell within this range. The controversy receded and he continued his career without further interruption.
The Doosra and 800 Test Wickets
Muralitharan's most dangerous delivery was the 'doosra' — an off-spinner's equivalent of the googly, which turns from off to leg (the opposite direction to a standard off-break) and was bowled with the back of the hand. He also had a top-spinner and a carrom ball. He was almost unplayable on turning pitches in Sri Lanka — home wickets were prepared to suit him — and extremely difficult to score from even on flat pitches overseas. He took his 800th and final Test wicket on 22 July 2010 in Galle, on the last ball before a scheduled drinks break, dismissing Pragyan Ojha to reach the milestone on his own final Test match. The delivery that took the wicket — and the reaction from his teammates — became one of cricket's most famous endings.
Career Statistics and Legacy
Muralitharan took 800 Test wickets at 22.72 in 133 Tests — the most in Test cricket history, 92 ahead of Shane Warne's 708. He took five-wicket hauls 67 times in Tests (also a world record) and ten-wicket match hauls 22 times. In ODIs, he took 534 wickets at 23.08 in 350 matches — also the most in ODI cricket history. He is the only bowler to hold both the Test and ODI wicket-taking records simultaneously. He played in the Sri Lanka team that won the 1996 Cricket World Cup, taking 2 wickets in the final against Australia. He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1999 and was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2014.
Frequently asked questions
How many Test wickets did Muttiah Muralitharan take?
Muttiah Muralitharan took 800 Test wickets at an average of 22.72 in 133 Tests — the most in Test cricket history and 92 more than second-placed Shane Warne (708). He took five-wicket hauls 67 times (also a world record) and ten-wicket match hauls 22 times. He also holds the ODI wicket-taking record with 534 wickets at 23.08 in 350 matches — making him the only bowler to hold both the Test and ODI all-time wicket records.
What is the doosra in cricket?
The doosra (Urdu/Hindi for 'the other one') is a delivery bowled by off-spin bowlers that turns from off to leg — the opposite direction to a standard off-break. It is bowled with the back of the hand, like a wrist-spinner's googly, but from an off-spin bowling action. Muttiah Muralitharan was the most famous and effective exponent of the doosra, using it to dismiss right-handed batters playing for the standard off-break turn. Saqlain Mushtaq of Pakistan is credited with inventing it.