Biography of Muralitharan sets new world record with 709 test wickets

Sri Lanka’s off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took 709 Test wickets to move to the top of the all-time list above Australian leg spinner Shane Warne.

Warne retired from Test cricket this year with 708 wickets from 145 matches. On the other hand Muralitharan age of 35, reached the milestone of 708th & 709th test wickets in his 116th game with the average of about 22.

Muralitharan bowled England’s Paul Collingwood on the third day of the first Test in Kandy.

The wicket, greeted with fireworks from Sri Lankan supporters, completed Muralitharan’s 61st five-wicket haul in Tests.

Muralitharan holds other bowling records in Test cricket including the most five-wicket with 61 times and ten-wicket hauls 20 times.

Muttiah Muralitharan had previously held the world record after surpassing West Indian fast bowler Courtney Walsh (519 wickets) in 2004, but he was subsequently overtaken by Warne after suffering a shoulder injury that year.

Muralitharan has also developed a special delivery called a “doosra” that spins in the opposite direction to his usual off spinner.

His career has been controversial, with Australian umpires no-balling him for chucking the ball during 1995 and 1999 tours of Australia.

The controversy over Muralitharan’s action continues despite him being cleared by the International Cricket Council after extensive biomechanical tests.