Spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan credited Saqlain Mushtaq, the legendary Pakistani off-spinner, for teaching him the art of bowling the ‘doosra’.“I learned the fundamentals of bowling the ‘doosra’ from Saqlain Mushtaq. Mastering the doosra is not easy, and it took me more than three years to bowl it accurately,” Muralidaran said.Muralidaran was a part of the ODI World Cup-winning Sri Lanka squad in 1996. He also played a major role in making the Lankan Lions one of the strongest sides in world cricket. Muralidaran is currently serving as the spin-bowling coach of former IPL champions Sunrisers Hyderabad. He has been with the franchise for multiple seasons and has done a commendable job.
He also stressed on the need for increased investment in cricket development in Kerala. He also asked for the establishment of an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise in the state. Returning to Kerala on Sunday, the former Sri Lanka cricketer paid a visit to the Palace Oval Ground in Thrippunithura, where the distinct sound of cricket balls meeting the bat was recorded for his biopic film ‘800,’ released in October. For the unversed, Murali had previously been a part of the now-defunct Kochi Tuskers in the 2011 IPL edition, expressed a deep connection with the state. He acknowledged that football enjoys greater popularity in Kerala and highlighted the disparity in crowd enthusiasm between his time with Kochi Tuskers and the current vibrant atmosphere during the Indian Super League (ISL) football matches. “Football is more popular in Kerala. When I played for Kochi Tuskers we didn’t have the same vibe in the gallery that the current ISL side enjoys. Clubs like Tripunithura Cricket Club should come forward and promote cricket in the state,” Muralitharan was quoted as saying by Times of India. The spin wizard also spoke about the missed opportunity in 2011, when Kochi was part of the IPL for just one year. He urged clubs like TCC to come forward and advocate for the establishment of an IPL franchise in Kerala, foreseeing the positive impact it would have on the budding cricketers in the region.
