Former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan said that Ravi Ashwin has a real chance to take 700–800 Test wickets. At the moment, Ashwin has taken 377 wickets in 74 matches including 27 five-wicket halls.
The 34-year-old Ashwin has done well in Border Gavaskar’s four-match series so far. During which he took the wicket of Steve Smith three times. Meanwhile, Muralitharan believes that Australia’s Nathan Lyon has no problem getting 700-800 wickets at the highest level.
Interestingly, Leon is one year younger than Ashwin and he has 19 more wickets than the Indian off-spinner. Muralitharan, 48, spoke to Michael Vaughan for The Telegraph.
Muralitharan Said,
“Ashwin [who has 377 Test wickets] has a chance because he is a great bowler. Also, I don’t think any young bowler coming forward will be able to take 800 wickets. Perhaps Nathan Lyon is not enough to reach it. He is close to 400 [396], but he has to play many matches to get there. ”
The fourth Test, starting January 15 at The Gabba, will prove memorable for Leon. This game can also be included in Leon’s 100th in Test cricket and in the list of players who have taken 400 wickets in this Test.
Muralitharan also believes that modern-day bowlers have to work hard to get wickets. According to him, the development of white-ball cricket has attacked the batsmen and hence it is no longer a difficult task to take five wickets.
Muralitharan Added,
“When I used to play, the batsmen were technically very good and the wickets were flat. Now, they try to finish the match in three days. In my day, bowlers had to work extra to get spin and some magic to get results. Nowadays, if you bowl line and length over a period of time, you will get five wickets. It is guaranteed because batsmen cannot stay for long without being attacked. ”
Muralitharan is known as the greatest bowler in cricket history after taking 800 Test wickets in 133 matches. Internationally, he has taken more than 1,300 wickets.
