"He Never Read Me" - Muttiah Muralitharan On Rahul Dravid

Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan made a bold claim, saying that current Indian head coach Rahul Dravid didn’t read him at all during their playing days. He although lauded the former Indian skipper as one of the greatest players and also heaped praise on Sachin Tendulkar.

Muttiah Muralitharan’s comments came during the trailer launch trailer of his biopic titled ‘800′. The Sri Lanka great arguably has been one of the finest spinners to have played the game of cricket. He ended his career as the highest wicket-taker in the Tests.

Muttiah Muralitharan troubled many world-class batters during his time, especially Indian batters. In the 22 Tests against India, he bagged 105 wickets at an average of around 32. Apart from that he also took 74 wickets in ODIs against the Men in Blue.

Muttiah Muralitharan said that Sachin Tendulkar along with Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag read him well but Rahul Dravid struggled against him. He added that some of his teammates too didn’t read him well. He explained (as quoted by PTI):

“He (Sachin Tendulkar) read me very well. Not many people can do (that). (Brian) Lara had success but he never hit me also. I know a few people, like Rahul Dravid, he is one of the greatest players but he never read me. Sachin and (Virender Sehwag) and (Gautam) Gambhir would read. Even in my team some people read and some did not.”

Another Sachin Tendulkar won’t be born in my life – Muttiah Muralitharan On Sachin Tendulkar

Muttiah Muralitharan also went on to heap rich praise on Sachin Tendulkar, saying that what the batting great has done in cricket nobody can do it. He praised him saying that he won’t see another player like this in his lifetime. He explained:

“What he (Sachin) has done in cricket, nobody can do. It is a fact. It is impossible for someone to get into First-Class cricket at 15 years, getting a Test hundred at 16-17 years (of age). Another Sachin Tendulkar won’t be born in my life (time).”

Sachin Tendulkar, who was also present during the event, praised Muttiah Muralitharan, saying that he loved bowling and had a big turner. He also hailed his work ethic and explained:

“He just loved bowling and the whole world knew he had a big turner. You make him bowl on an expressway and he would turn the ball. No matter how the surface. He had developed the ‘doosra’ but spent a lot of time practicing it in the nets.

“For 18 months he continued practicing the ‘doosra’ in the nets before he bowled the first ball in international cricket. The reason for that was he should not lose his original strengths and the qualities that he possessed,” he concluded.