Muttiah Muralitharan is perhaps the greatest off-spinner to play the game and his 800 Test and 534 ODI wickets, both world records are a testament of his amazing skills.
However, when Murali began his 133rd and final Test against India at Galle in 2010, he was 8 wickets adrift of the magical 800-wicket mark and picked 5/63 in the 1st innings against India. He then picked three more in the second innings, including that of Indian left-arm off-spinner Pragyan Ojha, who became his 800th Test victim.
R Ashwin, later revealed that the Indian teammates trolled Ojha a lot, as he said that he purposely gave his wicket away to Muralitharan, to complete his world record. Ojha was talking about the dismissal during an ODI series in Sri Lanka that followed the Tests in which Muralitharan retired, according to the off-spinner.
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"Ojha said that he gave away his wicket on purpose, considering Murali's stature and the landmark. Everybody trolled him in the dressing room. Even if you hadn't 'purposely' thrown your wicket away, Murali would have got you the next ball," Ashwin said during his conversation with Muttiah Muralitharan on his Instagram show 'DRS with Ash'.
Murali, on the other hand, said, “I didn't say anything to Pragyan Ojha, I told Ishant Sharma during the water break 'Ishant, just start playing shots. It's the last wicket. Despite all this, India is not going to draw or win. Give me your wicket and go. At least I will be satisfied.”
“He didn't give away his wicket. Luckily, I got the wicket of Pragyan Ojha,” Murali said.
