Murali promised before India Test he will get to 800 wickets and win the match, reveals Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara revealed that Muttiah Muralitharan had promised before the Galle Test to the Lankan players that he will both get to the 800-wicket mark and ensure that Sri Lanka beat India. Murali called time on his Test career post the Galle Test, in which he took his 800th wicket.
With 792 Test scalps to his name, Sri Lankan icon Muttiah Muralitharan, in 2010, revealed that he would retire after the first Test against India in Galle, irrespective of the outcome of the game and the impact it has on his numbers. This effectively meant that the legendary off-spinner put himself in a precarious position ahead of the Test, meaning he had no choice but to claim eight wickets in the Test against a world-class Indian batting line-up to ensure that he finishes his career with 800 Test wickets.
Speaking to Ravichandran Ashwin on Instagram, former Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara revealed how the senior members and selectors had convinced Muralitharan to play multiple matches in the series, in the fear of him potentially falling short of the coveted 800-wicket mark.
“He was 8 wickets away from 800. 800 Test wickets, as we all know is an incredible amount. He said he wanted to retire in the India series and I was the captain. I sat with the selectors and said, he wants to retire after the 1st Test. It’s not going to happen. We got to get him to get those 8 wickets and retire. So we called Murali into a meeting,” Sangakkara told Ashwin on Instagram, reported Hindustan Times.
“I said ‘Murali, we know you like taking up challenges. But think of it this way. It’s a tragedy if you come so close and don’t get your 800. So you can play the 1st Test, and then if you are too tire or have a niggle, take the 2nd Test off and you come back for the 3rd Test. Or you can take 2 Tests off and come back for the next series.”
However, the 42-year-old then went on to make a fascinating revelation and said how Muralitharan was adamant to finish his career after the first Test in Galle. Sanga revealed that Muralitharan, prior to the Test, had promised him and the whole Lankan side that he was going to not only take 8 wickets and get to the 800-wicket mark but also win Sri Lanka the Test.
“Murali looked at us and said ‘you know what? That is not going to work for you or for me. I have always loved challenges and if I am supposed to be the best spinner, I should be able to take 8 wickets at Galle against any side.
“And If I take 8 wickets, I am not just going to get my 800, we are going to win this Test match as well. If I can’t get it, I can’t get it. So this is my last Test. Thank You very much, I am going to take 8 wickets. I was seated then and I was thinking, that’s the kind of champion the guy was,” Sangakkara recalled.
Eventually, Muralitharan ended up with figures of 8/191 in the Test and got to the 800-wicket mark, with Pragyan Ojha being his 800th victim. Sri Lanka went on to win the Test by 10 wickets and Murali bid adieu to his Test career, walking away from the sport as the most successful bowler in Test history.
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