Muttiah Muralitharan’s relationship with Australia became so bitter that he threatened to never tour the country again.
Now at 42, Test cricket’s leading wicket-taker is taking on spin-coaching roles including a 15-day stint with the Australia team during their tour of the United Arab Emirates for the one-day and Test series against Pakistan.
“Life is all about moving forward,” Muralitharan said on Wednesday in Sharjah.
“Not thinking about backwards and say ‘he has done me (wrong) so I’m going to be harsh to him’.
“So forget and forgive and go away. That’s the way it is.
“My life, what happened is I was suspected so I had to prove myself.
“I’m innocent. I have proved myself for all of 20 years.
“So they accept it.
“Bad things happen. That means you can’t be keeping vengeance in your heart and just keep on going like that.
“So forget and forgive and go on.”
Called for chucking on Australian tours in 1995 and 1998, Muralitharan was constantly taunted by Australia’s crowds and even singled out by then-Prime Minister John Howard.
But the ever-smiling spin wizard has made peace with Australia, including a playing stint with Melbourne Renegades in the T20 Big Bash League.
He won’t be back this summer though, as spreading the gospel of spin is his calling.
“I told the Big Bash League I’m not coming and also the Indian Premier League, I’ve advised them I’m not going to be available,” he said.
“My future plans are just to help spinners all around the world. That’s the role I’m going to play.
“I’ve taken this assignment for about 15 days.
“My duties is to do whatever I can to help the bowlers plus the batsmen on how to play spin.
“So whatever I know, I’m going to tell them.”
Murali has worked with Australia’s No.1 spinner Nathan Lyon ahead of the two-Test series against Pakistan starting on October 22 in Dubai.
“How fast you bowl, the types of different deliveries you try to bowl, those are the things we talked about,” Murali said.
Lyon and fellow offspinner Glenn Maxwell claimed two wickets each in Australia’s 93-run win in Tuesday’s one-day game against Pakistan.
Australia’s batsman and part-time leggie Steve Smith praised Muralitharan.
“Murali’s been great for me. He’s come in and done a great job for us and got me going through the crease a bit more,” Smith said.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
Vish, I have always admired Muralidharan's mental approach, and his ability to read a batsman and set his field. As for the comment "he was cleared at all times", this is incorrect. Muralidharan's elbow flexion was outside the laws of the game. The laws of the game were changed, and Muralidharan's action was deemed to fit within the new requirements. However, on many occasions (such as bowling the doosra) it seemed likely that he was exceeding the new allowance. The biomechanical tests have been called into question by the ICC, and in fact the testers in Western Australia have admitted themselves that measuring elbow flexion/extension does not provide evidence of chucking/non-chucking. I would like to know why the ICC has changed its opinion on this matter.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
Muralidharan was "singled out by then-Prime Minister John Howard" -- one of the rare occasions I can remember that Mr Howard was correct.
Peter
Guest
Source?
Peter
Guest
Hoppy, please don't try to rewrite history, it's pathetic - Murali's 'action' was the catalyst for the rule. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/3998397.stm It is plain nonsense to try and mislead people.
Vish
Guest
its not right from our Aussie fans to label Murali a chucker. He was cleared all times and he is a legend in his own right. The greatest spinner of all time argument ll roll on. But leave it for the time being. After Murali has teamed up with Lyon his approach to the crease has been better and slower. He has a more aggressive approach. he is more confident and the revolution s Lyon is gettin are better. Though Pakistan dint play him well he was bowling better.We should thank Murali for his magnanimous nature to offer to help Lyon inspite of taunts from Aussie fans. Aussie team management should consider roping in Wasim Akram to help our left arm quicks bowl better yorkers. We have a good cluster of left armers Starc Behrendorf Paris . Few sessions with Akram monitoring them would do them good. They could also get Anil Kumble to do a good few sessions with the leg spinners Boyce and Smith. Though he was a different type they could learn better on accuracy and perseverance. Rahul Dravid would make a good batting consultant for our future test batsmen . lesson s on leaving the ball and concentration would help them out.
Antiwhippy
Guest
Glenn mcgrath would have been a chucker if they didn't extend it to 15 degrees.
Hoppy
Guest
Oh and the rules were never changed to accommodate Muralitharan. Studies conducted by the ICC found that 99% of bowlers exceeded the old rules that were in place. This isn't surprising at all, since they weren't based on any science. Someone pulled numbers out of his ass. If Murali was in fact singled out for exceeding those old limits, he had good grounds to sue. The 15 degree law comes from the findings that 15 degrees is the point at which a 'chuck' becomes visible to the naked eye. This is very well documented, and the fact that you seem to be ignorant of that highlights how informed you are on this topic. The 15 degree rule change has nothing to do with Muralitharan, and never did.
Hoppy
Guest
Too bad every bit of biomechanical analysis ever conducted on this issue goes completely against what you say, John. Empirical studies > armchair experts
John Uhr-Henry
Guest
World cricket changed the rules so Muralitharan could continue bowling. There`s no doubt he is a chucker with his bent arm and to say he has a birth defect so as to let him continue bowling s just a myth. Darrel hair the umpire who called him was spot on and under his present arm action should never have been allowed to bowl at all. I can go back many years to when Ian Meckiff was called for his bowling action and he was barred till he changed his bowling action to the satisfaction of world cricket...Ian was never the same after that.. Murali really cheated and to be classed as the world`s most wicket taking bowler is an insult to all other bowlers.
Axle an the guru
Guest
I wonder how much he is getting payed to teach people how far they can bend their elbow?
Silver Sovereign
Guest
oh boohoo Mr Have the Rules changed for You! If Murali had been stopped in the mid 90s this whole chucking affair going on now might never have happened. Darrel Hair has been vindicated