‘No walk in the park…’: Muttiah Muralitharan praises Ravichandran Ashwin’s career in international cricket
Ravichandran Ashwin he has been one of the most loyal servants of Indian cricket for more than a decade. During his time with the national team, he was a name synonymous with stability and reliability in the squad. However, the veteran off-spinner’s glorious career is highly respected not only among Indian cricket stalwarts but also among legends across the world. One such giant of international cricket is Muttiah Muralitharanwho recently expressed his interesting insight into Ashwin’s glorious career.
Muralitharan recalls fond memories of Ashwin’s career
In an interview with Telecom Asia Sport (telecomasia.net), the legendary Sri Lankan spinner was asked about announcing his retirement from international cricket after the Gabba Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Recalling the times when he first saw Ashwin as a young bowler trying to make his mark, Muralitharan said: “I was at the tail end of my career when he came on the scene, but he struck me as a shrewd young man eager to learn. He sought advice, asked thoughtful questions, and worked hard to improve. That drive and hunger are what sets him apart.”
Read also: Anushka Sharma pays a heartfelt tribute to Ravichandran Ashwin on her Instagram story
Further, Muralitharan also spoke about the start of Ashwin’s career, when he was trying his luck as a batsman, the legend commented: “You have to remember that Ashwin started his career as a batsman, doing spin as a part-time option. He soon realized that the writing was on the wall for his batting aspirations and focused on bowling. Hats off to him for making this bold pivot and achieving what he has.Getting to 500 Test wickets is no walk in the park.“
Muralitharan has been a prominent figure in international cricket as the only player with 800 wickets in Test Cricket. The Sri Lankan all-rounder managed to reach the milestone in just 133 Test matches.
A look at Ashwin’s impressive stats in international cricket
Statistically speaking, Ashwin is one of the most successful Indians to have ever played. The Chennai lad managed to take 537 wickets in Tests, 156 wickets in ODIs and 72 wickets in the T20I format. This makes him the second leading Indian in Test cricket, only behind him Anil Kumble. Ashwin has also been instrumental with the bat scoring 3503 Tests with 6 centuries.
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