Adam Gilchrist relives his Muttiah Muralitharan dread

Adam Gilchrist many a times in his cricketing career was unable to pick Muralitharan.

Adam Gilchrist | Source Getty

Former Australian cricketer, Adam Gilchrist reveals the bowler he most feared in his cricketing days. Gilchrist recalls Muttiah Muralitharan was the deadliest bowler he had to face in his life. It was Sri Lanka's legendary spinner Muralitharan who turned the tables on the left-hand wicketkeeper.

While speaking on Fox Footy’s Bob, the 46-year old wicketkeeper said “I couldn’t pick him. He turns the ball that far both ways and I could not pick him.”

Muttiah Muralitharan had dismissed Gilchrist four times in six Tests who has recorded the highest number of Test wickets (800) and ODI wickets (534) at International level.

“He can make you feel like an under-10s playing in men’s A-grade. It was horrible.

“Mr Cricket, he can play anyone. He studies the game. He lives it, breathes it, eats. But he and I used to laugh at each other about how badly we played Murali.”

For Muralitharan, it was not only Adam Gilchrist who was unable to play him but batsmen across the globe found themselves in difficulty while facing the leg-spinner.

“When it came to Sachin Tendulkar I had way too much time to appreciate (his batting). I know the dimensions of his arse from seeing it in close range from wicket-keeping behind him for hour after hour after hour.

“(They had) complete self-belief and if they didn’t believe it they certainly put up a wonderful cape of bravado around them to make sure that they weren’t exposing any uncertainties.” Adam Gilchrist concluded.

(Inputs from Fox Sports)

 
 

By Kunal Kataria - 18 Jul, 2018

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