Rahul Dravid is one of the greatest players but he never read me: Muttiah Muralidaran

Legendary spinner Muttiah Muralidaran made a bold statement saying that former India cricketer and current head coach Rahul Dravid could never read his mystery. The 51-year-old mentioned that players like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar used to play him well, but the same cannot be said about Dravid.

The 51-year-old also added that some of his teammates failed to understand his bowling, while some could read him with time. Notably, he has represented the national team in 495 international matches and has 1347 wickets in the process.

“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,” Muralidaran said during the trailer launch trailer of his biopic titled ‘800′.

Another Sachin Tendulkar won’t be born in my lifetime: Muralitharan

The former Sri Lanka international lauded Sachin Tendulkar and mentioned that he won’t be seeing another batter with the same ability in his lifetime. Notably, the former India cricketer represented the national team for 24 years and has over 34,000 runs in international cricket. He also played a massive part in helping India win the 2011 ODI World Cup and hence, Muralidaran is highly impressed with a batter of his calibre.

“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),” Muralidaran said. 

Sachin, on the other hand, lauded the off-spinner as well and shared the story of him taking some time and developing the art of doosra.

“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,” Tendulkar said in the same show.