Muttiah Muralitharan has denied the request by Sri Lanka's Minister of Sports to help the game by joining in as a consultant. On Thursday, Minister of Sports Faizer Musthapaha had appealed to former captains Aravinda de Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Muralitharan to join SLC as consultants but the highest wicket-taker in Test Cricket has denied by issuing a statement for the same. 

Sri Lankan Cricket is hurting as much by their poor on-field results as by the turmoil in administration back home that is doing nothing good to the stagnating health of the game in the country. 

Murali said in his statement that, "I am of the view that it is an insincere, cunning move, more to use us when the cricket administration is in such a deplorable state and standby the sentiments that Mahela has expressed not able to trust the system as per his own experience of attempting to resolve pressing issues which was never implemented," 

"It is sad that National cricketers are not consulted until it (the sport) hits the rock bottom. I would not hesitate to give of my time if I do realize the genuineness and credibility of the administration despite my own professional coaching engagements worldwide," 

Mahela Jayawardene too, has denied this request by the ministry and the board. He mentioned in a tweet, "With all due respect to the selectors and Sports Minister, I have spent one year in the Cricket Committee and six months in a special advisory committee and no recommendations were implemented. I don't have any trust in the system. If anyone wants to buy time pleases don't use us,"

(Inputs from Cricbuzz)