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Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. AP Photo/Aman Sharma
Murali! A hero to his legion of fans in Sri Lanka and among the Sri Lankan Diaspora worldwide. He has announced that the First Test against India at Galle on the 18th of July will be his last.
Shane Warne was a wonderful bowler but his one weakness was his googly. He paid tribute to Murali and his comments revealed a surprising ill-concealed lack of grace. It was like giving your mother-in-law a box of chocolates you know she is going to hate.
Speaking with Andrew Miller of Cricinfo, Warne had this to say: “He’s always had a smile on his face, even when he’s had to live through the doubters, because there will always be those people who say ‘did he, didn’t he?’”
Perhaps Warne did not mean it to sound like this, but you would have thought he would be more diplomatic.
For millions, Warne was a magician.
His short walk to the crease, the tongue sticking out, the deadly flipper, the outrageous leg-break – all of these were the hallmark of the greatest spinner.
Warne was raw theatre: the incredulous look on his face when Tendulkar or Laxman slog-swept him for six. The manic exultation when he dismissed Hudson. The schoolboy glee at deceiving Cullinan once again.
You could not script such drama.
Further on in his tribute, he had this to say: “I suppose in Murali’s case, he had such an unusual action that there’s always going to be that doubt with some people. Others have no doubts. But that’s always been the case with Murali and it’s just a fact of life.”
“If he had a normal action, he wouldn’t have been talked about. That only happens when you’re different. People will make their own mind up, but I thought he was wonderful for the game.”
Murali has been criticized by many in his tumultuous career, notably Bishen Singh Bedi who called him a “javelin thrower”, and our erstwhile former PM, John Howard, who called him a “chucker.”
He has steadfastly refused to give in.
His longevity is testament to his will power. He has made batsmen fight for every run. He has given the art of off-spinning a credibility not seen since Laker and Prasanna.
Murali dared to be different. This was his abiding legacy. Having accepted his 15 degree legitimacy, there is no need to doubt his action.
Australian batsmen played Murali better than most and Hayden especially had his measure with the slog-sweep and the straight hit over the fence. Damien Martyn, too, was assured against Murali because he played late and with soft hands.
Brian Lara played some of his greatest innings against Murali and in 2001 scored 688 runs in six innings on tracks that were turning more than a Catherine wheel.
In spite of Lara, Murali spun Sri Lanka to a 3-0 series win.
To Sri Lankans, Murali was a hero and often their entire cricket team.
He gave a semblance of unity to a country racked by civil unrest. He was an uncomplaining man, modest and not given to hyperbole, unless it was the exaggerated deception of his doosra.
In the end, determining the legitimacy of Murali as a “great” comes down to intent, just like in a murder case, and it is determined by a jury, which is not always unanimous.
But knowing the personality of the man and speaking with respected cricketers, Murali was a gentle person and does not have a vicious bone in his body.
If I was a one-man jury, I would have no hesitation in accepting him as one of the greatest spinners in history.
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