Editing Muttiah Muralitharan (section)

===Test cricket===
====Emerging years====
On 28 August 1992 at the age of 20, Muralitharan made his debut against Australia at the Khettarama Stadium and claimed 3 for 141. [[Craig McDermott]] was his first Test wicket.

In August 1993 at Moratuwa, Muralitharan captured 5 for 104 in South Africa's first innings, his first five-wicket haul in Tests. His wickets included [[Kepler Wessels]], [[Hansie Cronje]] and [[Jonty Rhodes]].

Prior to the eventful Boxing Day Test of 1995, Muralitharan had captured 80 wickets in 22 Tests at an unflattering average of 32.74. Even at that point in his career he was the leading wicket taker for Sri Lanka having gone past [[Rumesh Ratnayake]]'s aggregate of 73 wickets.

====Boxing Day Test 1995====
During the second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] on Boxing Day 1995, Australian umpire [[Darrell Hair]] called Muralitharan for throwing in front of a crowd of 55,239. The [[Off spin|off-spinner]] was [[no-ball]]ed seven times in three overs by Hair, who believed the then 23-year-old was bending his arm and straightening it in the process of delivery; an illegal action in cricket.

Muralitharan had bowled two overs before lunch from umpire [[Steve Dunne (cricket umpire)|Steve Dunne]]'s or the Members' End of the ground with umpire Hair at square leg and these passed without incident. At {{Nowrap|2:34&nbsp;pm}} he took up the attack from umpire Hair's or the southern end. Muralitharan's third over was a [[Over (cricket)|maiden]] with all [[Bowling (cricket)|deliveries]] again passed as legitimate but in his fourth Hair no-balled him twice for throwing on the fourth and sixth balls. The umpire continued to call him three times in his fifth over on the second, fourth and sixth balls. While the bowler stood with his hands on his hips perplexed, the five calls provoked an immediate response by the Sri Lankan captain [[Arjuna Ranatunga]] who left the field at {{Nowrap|3:03&nbsp;pm}} to take advice from his team management. He returned at {{Nowrap|3:08&nbsp;pm}} and continued with Muralitharan who was called two more times in his sixth over on the second and sixth balls. At {{Nowrap|3:17&nbsp;pm}} Ranatunga removed the bowler from the attack, although he reintroduced him at {{Nowrap|3:30&nbsp;pm}} at umpire Dunne's end. Although Hair reports in his book, "Decision Maker", that at the end of the tea break he stated that he would call Muralitharan no matter which end he bowled he did not do so. Muralitharan completed another twelve overs without further no-balls and, after bowling Mark Waugh, finished the day with figures of 18–3–58–1.<ref name="THE CONTROVERSY'">{{cite web|url=http://www.muralitharan.org/murali/bernard.htm|title=The Controversy|publisher=muralitharan.org|first=Bernard|last=Whimpress|access-date=20 March 2008|archive-date=3 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703213924/http://www.muralitharan.org/murali/bernard.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After being no-balled Muralitharan bowled a further 32 overs from umpire Steve Dunne's end without protest from either Dunne or Hair, at square leg. The Sri Lankan camp was outraged after the incident, but the [[International Cricket Council|ICC]] defended Hair, outlining a list of steps they had taken in the past to determine, without result, the legitimacy of Muralitharan's action.<ref name="Muralitharan">{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.mcg.org.au/default.asp?pg=historydisplay&articleid=196
 |title        = Muralitharan no-balled by Hair
 |work         = The People's Ground
 |access-date  = 20 March 2008
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071217053020/http://www.mcg.org.au/default.asp?pg=historydisplay&articleid=196
 |archive-date = 17 December 2007
 |url-status   = dead
 |df           = dmy
 }}</ref> By calling Muralitharan from the bowlers' end Hair overrode what is normally regarded as the authority of the square leg umpire in adjudicating on throwing. Dunne would have had to break convention to support his partner.

At the end of the match the Sri Lankans requested from the ICC permission to confer with Hair to find out exactly how to remedy the problem with their bowler. Despite the game's controlling body agreeing to it, the Australian Cricket Board vetoed it on the grounds that it might lead to umpires being quizzed by teams after every game and meant that the throwing controversy would continue into the [[World Series Cup]] during the coming week. The Sri Lankans were disappointed they did not get an explanation and decided they would continue playing their bowler in matches not umpired by Hair and wanted to know whether other umpires would support or reject Hair's judgement.<ref name="Muralitharan no-balled by Hair">{{cite web |url=http://www.mcg.org.au/default.asp?pg=historydisplay&articleid=196 |title=Muralitharan no-balled by Hair |work=The People's Ground |access-date=20 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217053020/http://www.mcg.org.au/default.asp?pg=historydisplay&articleid=196 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=17 December 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Muralitharan's action was cleared by the ICC after biomechanical analysis at the University of Western Australia and at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology in 1996. They concluded that his action created the 'optical illusion of throwing'.<ref name="Profile ESPNcricinfo" />

====Mid career====
On 16 March 1997, Muralitharan became the first Sri Lankan to reach 100 test wickets, when he dismissed [[Stephen Fleming]] in the second innings of the Hamilton Test.

In January 1998, Muralitharan took his first ten-wicket haul against Zimbabwe in the first test at Kandy. Sri Lanka won by eight wickets and Muralitharan had figures of 12 for 117.

In August that same year Muralitharan produces his career-best test match figures of 16 for 220, in the one-off test against England. In England's second innings Muralitharan bowled a marathon 54.2 overs to pick up 9 for 65 runs,<ref name="Muralitharan 9 for 65">{{Cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EebphFKyzwY| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904004226/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EebphFKyzwY| archive-date=2015-09-04 | url-status=dead|title=Muralitharan, 9 for 65, Oval Test |via=YouTube |date=10 December 2008 |access-date=10 February 2009}}</ref> the other wicket being a run out. [[Ben Hollioake]] becomes his 200th test wicket. Sri Lanka won by ten wickets, their first Test victory in England. After breaking the world record for the most test wickets in 2007, Muralitharan commented that his 1998 performance at the Oval against England, was his career highlight. He stated "Everyone thought I was a good bowler then and I didn't look back from there."<ref name="Muralitharan test record">{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/other_international/sri_lanka/7123499.stm |title=Muralitharan breaks Test record |work=BBC Sport |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=8 February 2009 |location=London |archive-date=16 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516234214/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/other_international/sri_lanka/7123499.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Playing his 58th test, Muralitharan claimed his 300th test wicket when he dismissed Shaun Pollock in the First Test in Durban, in December 2000. Only [[Dennis Lillee]] reached the milestone faster, in his 56th test.

On 4 January 2002 in Kandy Muralitharan might have finished with the best-ever figures for a single innings, but after he had claimed nine wickets against Zimbabwe [[Russel Arnold]] dropped a catch at short leg.<ref name="Art of the obvious" />
He missed out on the tenth when [[Chaminda Vaas]] dismissed [[Henry Olonga]] caught behind amid stifled appeals. Muralitharan follows up his 9 for 51 in the first innings with 4 for 64 in the second, equalling [[Richard Hadlee]]'s record of 10 ten-wicket match hauls, but needing 15 fewer Tests to do so.

On 15 January 2002 playing in his 72nd test, Muralitharan became the fastest and youngest to reach the 400-wicket landmark when he bowled Olonga in the third Test in Galle.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/slveng/content/story/323183.html |title=Timeline: Muttiah Muralitharan – Spinning his way to success |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=6 January 2008 |archive-date=7 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071207191708/http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/slveng/content/story/323183.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/1061149.html | title = Ask Steven – Youngest to reach wickets' milestiones | publisher = ESPNcricinfo | access-date = 11 October 2016 | archive-date = 11 October 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161011075557/http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/1061149.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

On 16 March 2004 Muralitharan became the fastest and the youngest bowler to reach 500 wickets during the second test between Sri Lanka and Australia played in Kandy. In his 87th test, he bowled Kasprowicz to claim his 500th victim just four days after Warne reached the landmark on the fifth day of the First Test between the two teams at Galle. Warne took 108 tests to reach 500. Muralitharan took 4–48 on the first day of the second Test as Australia were skittled for 120 in the first innings.<ref name="Murali 500 wickets">{{Cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/17/1079199236221.html |title=Murali, Warne strike |first=Michael |last=Donaldson |work=The Age |date=17 March 2004 |access-date=27 March 2008 |location=Melbourne |archive-date=9 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209051912/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/17/1079199236221.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Passing Walsh and Warne====
In May 2004, Muralitharan overtook [[West Indies cricket team|West Indian]] [[Courtney Walsh]]'s record of 519 [[Test cricket|Test match]] wickets to become the highest wicket-taker. Zimbabwe's [[Mluleki Nkala]] becomes Muralitharan's 520th scalp in Tests. Muralitharan held the record until [[Shane Warne]] claimed it in October 2004. Warne surpassed Muralitharan's mark of 532 wickets by dismissing India's [[Irfan Pathan]]. Warne said he enjoyed his duel with Muralitharan, who was sidelined following shoulder surgery at the time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dawn.com/2004/10/16/spt6.htm |title=Warne breaks Muralitharan's Test wickets record |work=Dawn |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=6 January 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041021043708/http://www.dawn.com/2004/10/16/spt6.htm |archive-date=21 October 2004 }}</ref>

After an outstanding year Muralitharan was adjudged as the [[Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World]] in 2006. In six Tests, he took 60 wickets. He took ten in each of four successive matches, the second time he performed such a feat. The opponents for his 60-wicket haul were England away, South Africa at home and New Zealand away: serious opposition. In all, Muralitharan took 90 wickets in 11 Tests in the calendar year.
<ref name="Wisden Leading Cricketer In The World 2006">{{cite web|url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/287072.html|title=Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World 2006|first=Simon|last=Barnes|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=20 March 2008|archive-date=5 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105115318/http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/287072.html|url-status=live}}</ref> For his performances in 2006, he was named in the World Test XI by ICC<ref name="ICC Test Team of the Year">[[ICC Test Team of the Year]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=August 2019}} and ESPNcricinfo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/274468.html|title=Twelve from '06|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|date=2 January 2007|access-date=13 October 2019|archive-date=16 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716120313/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/274468.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 2007, Muttiah Muralitharan became the second bowler after Warne to capture 700 Test wickets. The off-spinner reached the landmark when he had Bangladesh's last man [[Syed Rasel]] caught in the deep by [[Farveez Maharoof]] on the fourth day of the third and final Test at the Asgiriya stadium in Kandy. The dismissal signalled Sri Lanka's victory by an innings and 193 runs to give the host a 3–0 sweep of the series. Muralitharan finished with six wickets in each innings to claim 10 wickets or more in a Test for the 20th time.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.paktribune.com/sports/newsdetail.php?nid=3438 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131003217/http://www.paktribune.com/sports/newsdetail.php?nid=3438 |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 January 2013 |title=Muralitharan takes 700th wicket |work=PakTribune |date=16 July 2007 |access-date=26 March 2008 }}</ref> However, he was unable to pass Warne's record of 708 wickets when Sri Lanka toured Australia in November 2007, capturing just four wickets in two Test matches.

Muralitharan reclaimed the record for most Test wickets during the first Test against England at [[Kandy]] on {{Nowrap|3 December}} 2007. The spinner bowled England's [[Paul Collingwood]] to claim his 709th Test victim and overtaking Shane Warne in the process.<ref name="Cricinfo record story"/> Muralitharan reached the mark in his 116th Test – 29 fewer than Warne – and had conceded only 21.77 runs per wicket compared to the Australian's 25.41. This was Muralitharan's 61st 5-wicket haul.<ref name="Test record" /><ref name="BBC record 2007-12-03">{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7124486.stm |title=Murali record dents England hopes |work=BBC Sport |date=3 December 2007 |access-date=3 December 2007 |location=London |first=Oliver |last=Brett |archive-date=6 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071206115634/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7124486.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Warne believed that Muralitharan would take "1,000 wickets" before he retired.<ref name="Warne comments">{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/3626081.stm |title=Warne backs Murali record |first=John |last=May |work=BBC Sport |date=14 April 2004 |access-date=18 December 2007 |location=London |archive-date=16 April 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040416011139/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/3626081.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Former record holder [[Courtney Walsh]] also opined that this would be possible if Muralitharan retained his hunger for wickets.<ref name="Walsh comments">{{Cite news |url=http://ia.rediff.com/cricket/2006/nov/10walsh1.htm |title=Murali could reach 1000 wkts: Walsh |first=Harish |last=Kotlan |work=Rediff.com |date=10 November 2006 |access-date=18 December 2007 |archive-date=20 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120111627/http://ia.rediff.com/cricket/2006/nov/10walsh1.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Muralitharan himself believed there was a possibility that he would reach this milestone.<ref name="Murali prediction">{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/sri_lanka/6209055.stm |title=I can take 1,000 wickets – Murali |work=BBC Sport |date=25 December 2006 |access-date=18 December 2007 |location=London |archive-date=10 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210042554/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/sri_lanka/6209055.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> For his performances in 2007, he was named in the World Test XI by ICC<ref name="ICC Test Team of the Year"/>{{Circular reference|date=August 2019}} and ESPNcricinfo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/review2007/content/story/328571.html|title=Mainly Aussie|last=Premachandran|first=Dileep|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|date=3 January 2008|access-date=13 October 2019|archive-date=27 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191127160815/http://www.espncricinfo.com/review2007/content/story/328571.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Beyond the world record====
In July 2008, Muralitharan and [[Ajantha Mendis]] stopped India's strong batting as Sri Lanka won the first Test by a record innings and 239 runs in Colombo. Muralitharan finished the match with 11 wickets for 110, as India were shot out for 138 in their second innings after conceding a lead of 377 on the fourth day. He was well supported by debutant [[Ajantha Mendis]], an unorthodox [[Bowling (cricket)|spinner]] with plenty of variation, who took eight wickets in his debut match.

Muralitharan believed the emergence of Mendis would help prolong his own career. Muralitharan, 36, and 23-year-old Mendis formed a formidable partnership in the first Test thrashing of India, taking 19 of the 20 wickets between them. "If he keeps performing this way, he will definitely take a lot of wickets in international cricket. Now that he has come, I think I can play Test cricket a few more years. Bowling 50 overs in a Test innings is very hard. Now if I bowl only 30–35 and he bowls more than me, the job will get easier for me."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080726/wl_sthasia_afp/cricketsriind |title=India crash to big defeat after Murali-Mendis magic |work=Yahoo news |date=26 July 2008 |access-date=27 July 2008 }}{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

For his performances in 2008, he was named in the World Test XI by ICC<ref name="ICC Test Team of the Year"/>{{Circular reference|date=August 2019}}.

====Performance analysis====
{|class="wikitable collapsible" style="width:42em; text-align:center; float:right; margin-left:1em;"
|-
!colspan="12" style="white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;"|Table: Test bowling performance
|-
|colspan="12" style="font-size:90%; text-align:left;"|A Summary of Muralitharan's Test bowling performance against all opponents.
|-
!style="text-align:left;"|Versus!!M!!O!!M!!R!!W!!5w!!10w!!Best!!Avg!!S/R!!E/R
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Australia||13*||685.3||100||2128||59||5||1||6 for 59||36.07||69.7||3.1
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Bangladesh||11||452.0||114||1190||89||11||4||6 for 18||13.37||30.4||2.6
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|England||16||1102.1||348||2247||112||8||4||9 for 65||20.06||59.0||2.0
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|India||22||1125.2||215||3297||105||7||2||8 for 87||32.32||66.1||2.9
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|New Zealand||14||753.2||203||1776||82||5||1||6 for 87||21.53||55.1||2.3
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Pakistan||16||782.5||184||2027||80||5||1||6 for 71||25.46||58.7||2.6
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|South Africa||15||984.4||221||2311||104||11||4||7 for 84||22.22||56.8||2.3
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|West Indies||12||622.3||143||1609||82||9||3||8 for 46||19.62||45.5||2.6
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Zimbabwe||14||786.5||259||1467||87||6||2||9 for 51||16.86||54.2||1.9
|- style="font-weight:bold"
|style="text-align:left;"|Overall (9)||133||7339.5||1794||18180||800||67||22||9 for 51||22.72||55.0||2.5
|-
|style="text-align:left;" colspan="12"| Source: ESPNcricinfo<ref name="Test bowling analysis">{{cite web|title=Test bowling analysis |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/49636.html?class=1;template=results;type=bowling |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=23 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529204826/http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/49636.html?class=1%3Btemplate%3Dresults%3Btype%3Dbowling |archive-date=29 May 2010 }}</ref> *Including one for an [[2005 ICC Super Series|ICC World XI]]
|}

In July 2007, Muralitharan achieved a career peak Test Bowling Rating of 920, based on the LG [[ICC Player Rankings]]. This is the highest ever rating achieved by a spin bowler in Test cricket. This also puts him in fourth place in the LG ICC Best-Ever Test bowling ratings.<ref>{{Cite news |title=LG ICC Best-Ever Test Bowling Ratings |url=http://www.cricketratings.com/ |access-date=22 January 2008 |archive-date=27 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127210050/http://www.cricketratings.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Muralitharan has the unique distinction of getting 10 or more wickets in a match against all other nine Test playing nations as well as capturing over 50 wickets against each of them. He also obtained 7 or more wickets in an innings against five nations, namely England, India, South Africa, [[West Indies]] and [[Zimbabwe]] (refer to table above). Muttiah Muralitharan also took at least five [[five-for]]s against all the other nine Test sides.

He currently holds the highest wickets/match ratio (6.1) for any bowler with over 200 [[Test cricket|Test]] wickets and also represented Sri Lanka in 118 Tests of the 175 that they have played (67.4%).

Against teams excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, Muralitharan took 624 wickets in 108 Tests. By comparison, excluding his matches against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, Warne took 691 wickets in 142 tests. Murali's average of 24.05 is slightly superior to Warne's career average of 25.41. Muralitharan won 18 Man of the Match awards in Test cricket.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Muralitharan – Man of Match Awards (Test Cricket) |url=http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Misc/MiscManOfMatch2.asp?PlayerID=1234 |work=HowSTAT |access-date=23 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050302072533/http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Misc/MiscManOfMatch2.asp?PlayerId=1234 |archive-date=2 March 2005 }}</ref>

During Muralitharan's playing days, the ICC Future Tours Programme denied Sri Lanka and several other teams a level playing field. As a consequence Muralitharan never toured South Africa after December 2002 and never playing a Test at the spin-friendly Sydney Cricket Ground.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/468490.html |title=Dileep Premachandran: Nobody could have done it better than Murali |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=27 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727185540/http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/468490.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Another comparison of Muralitharan's bowling record against other successful international bowlers is their career record away from home. Muralitharan received criticism that he enjoyed great success on home soil, taking wickets on pitches that are more spin-friendly than other international pitches.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Warne is better than Murali |url=http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/robertcraddock/index.php/heraldsun/comments/warnevmurali/ |author=Robert Craddock Blog |work=Herald Sun |access-date=31 March 2008 |archive-date=24 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124020641/http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/robertcraddock/index.php/heraldsun/comments/warnevmurali/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> A quick analysis of his Test record of matches played outside Sri Lanka shows that from 52 matches he took 278 wickets at an average of 26.24 runs per wicket, with a strike rate of 60.1 balls per wicket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/49636.html?class=1;template=results;type=bowling|title=ESPNcricinfo – M Muralitharan – Test matches – Bowling analysis|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=31 March 2008|archive-date=31 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081231003851/http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/49636.html?class=1;template=results;type=bowling|url-status=live}}</ref> Similarly, spin bowling rival Shane Warne retired with a slightly superior 'away' record of 362 wickets from 73 matches, at an average of 25.50 and a strike rate of 56.7.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/8166.html?class=1;template=results;type=bowling|title=ESPNcricinfo – SK Warne – Test matches – Bowling analysis|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=31 March 2008}}</ref> Due to the variabilities of Test cricket such as grounds played at and opposition played against it is difficult to compare the quality of the top level players and, as such, is very difficult and subjective. However, it is clear that Muralitharan did much better playing at home to test minnows Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, averaging less than 16 runs a wicket.

Cricinfo's statistics editor S Rajesh concluded that the decade 2000–2009 was the best 10-year period for Test batsmen since the 1940s.<ref>{{cite web |author=S Rajesh |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/decadereview2009/content/story/441892.html |title=Why 55 is the new 50. Decade Review 2009 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=4 January 2010 |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=20 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420092010/http://www.cricinfo.com/decadereview2009/content/story/441892.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Muralitharan was clearly the leading Test wicket-taker during this period, capturing 565 wickets at 20.97 in spite of the dominance of the bat over ball. [[Shane Warne]] captured 357 wickets at an average of 25.17 during the decade.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?class=1;id=200;type=decade |title=Cricket Records. Most wickets |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=1 January 1970 |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=4 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304062124/http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?class=1;id=200;type=decade |url-status=live }}</ref> Of spinners with over Test 100 wickets only John Briggs (17.75), [[Jim Laker]] (21.24), [[Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)|Bill O'Reilly]] (22.59) and [[Clarrie Grimmett]] (24.21) have sub 25.00 bowling averages.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283256.html |title=Records. Best career bowling average |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=1 January 1970 |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=21 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421233007/http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283256.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Muralitharan was on the winning side on 54 of the 133 test matches he played. In those games he captured a total of 438 wickets (8.1 wickets per match), at an outstanding average of 16.18 per wicket and a strike rate of 42.7.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/49636.html?class=1;result=1;template=results;type=bowling |title=Bowling records. Test matches |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=1 January 1970 |access-date=1 April 2011}}</ref>
Muralitharan took 795 wickets for his country Sri Lanka in 132 tests. The next most wickets for Sri Lanka in these 132 Tests was [[Chaminda Vaas]]' 309 – less than 40% of the spinner's pile. No one else managed 100. Collectively Sri Lankan bowlers tallied 1968 wickets across that span, of which Muralitharan accounted for 40.4%. Among the 24 other Sri Lankans who took more than 10 of those wickets, only [[Lasith Malinga]] did so at a better strike rate (52.3) than Muralitharan's 54.9 – and the latter bowled rather more overs, 6657.1 of them to be precise.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/470754.html |title=Rob Steen: Muttiah Muralitharan, the ultimate MVP |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=6 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006140505/http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/470754.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Test wicket milestones====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Number
! Batsman
! Method
! Score
! Team
! Match #
! Test #
! Notes
|-
| 1st<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.muralitharan.com/?mode=milestones&PHPSESSID=9a6d4c8e0c501c8f5c3d439cf15ec83f|title=The Test wicket milestones|publisher=Muralitharn.com|access-date=25 February 2008|archive-date=14 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714133158/http://www.muralitharan.com/?mode=milestones&PHPSESSID=9a6d4c8e0c501c8f5c3d439cf15ec83f|url-status=live}}</ref>
| [[Craig McDermott]]
| [[Leg before wicket|lbw]]
| 9
| {{cr|AUS}}
| 1
| 1195
|
|-
| 50th
| [[Navjot Sidhu]]
| caught [[Ruwan Kalpage]]
| 43
| {{cr|IND}}
| 13
| 1247
|
|-
| 74th
| [[Inzamam-ul-Haq]]
| caught and bowled
| 26
| {{cr|PAK}}
| 20
| 1305
| Breaks [[Rumesh Ratnayake]]'s Sri Lankan record<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153545.html|title=Pakistan v Sri Lanka—Second Test match|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=25 July 2010|archive-date=10 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100810045822/http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153545.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| 100th<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153330.html|title=Second Test match: New Zealand v Sri Lanka|publisher=Wisden|access-date=30 July 2010}}</ref>
| [[Stephen Fleming]]
| bowled
| 59
| {{cr|NZL}}
| 27
| 1359
|
|-
| 150th<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63782.html|title=2nd Test: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Colombo (SSC), January 14–18, 1998|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=18 August 2011|archive-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226135454/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63782.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| [[Guy Whittall]]
| caught [[Mahela Jayawardene]]
| 17
| {{cr|ZIM}}
| 36
| 1395
|
|-
| 200th<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63809.html|title=Sri Lanka in England Test match: England v Sri Lanka|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=30 July 2010|archive-date=4 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804034933/http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63809.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| [[Dominic Cork]]
| caught [[Romesh Kaluwitharana]]
| 8
| {{cr|ENG}}
| 42
| 1423
|
|-
| 250th<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153908.html|title=Third Test match: Pakistan v Sri Lanka 1999–2000|publisher=Wisden|access-date=30 July 2010|archive-date=31 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131025714/http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153908.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| [[Naved Ashraf]]
| lbw
| 27
| {{cr|PAK}}
| 51
| 1489
|
|-
| 300th<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/87101.html|title=Muralitharan takes 11 but South Africa have better of drawn first Test|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=30 July 2010}}</ref>
| [[Shaun Pollock]]
| caught [[Tillakaratne Dilshan]]
| 11
| {{cr|RSA}}
| 58
| 1526
|
|-
| 350th<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/110264.html|title=Muralitharan reaches 350 Test wicket mark in record time|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=30 July 2010|archive-date=11 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611153605/http://www.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/110264.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| [[Mohammad Sharif (cricketer)|Mohammad Sharif]]
| caught and bowled
| 19
| {{cr|BAN}}
| 66
| 1561
|
|-
| 400th<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154967.html|title=Third Test match: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe|publisher=Wisden|access-date=30 July 2010|archive-date=13 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813120636/http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154967.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| [[Henry Olonga]]
| bowled
| 0
| {{cr|ZIM}}
| 72
| 1585
|
|-
| 450th<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/214631.html|title=Second Test match: Sri Lanka v New Zealand|publisher=Wisden|access-date=30 July 2010|archive-date=27 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090827051025/http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/214631.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| [[Daryl Tuffey]]
| caught [[Sanath Jayasuriya]]
| 1
| {{cr|NZL}}
| 80
| 1644
|
|-
| 500th<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/140086.html|title=Muralitharan slots into 500-wicket club|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=30 July 2010|archive-date=16 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100916031432/http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/140086.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| [[Michael Kasprowicz]]
| bowled
| 0
| {{cr|AUS}}
| 87
| 1688
|
|-
| 520th
| [[Mluleki Nkala]]
| caught [[Mahela Jayawardene]]
| 24
| {{cr|ZIM}}
| 89
| 1698
| Breaks [[Courtney Walsh]]'s world record<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/140761.html|title=Murali makes history as Zimbabwe fall apart|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=30 July 2010|archive-date=20 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100520151159/http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/140761.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| 550th
| [[Khaled Mashud]]
| caught [[Thilan Samaraweera]]
| 2
| {{cr|BAN}}
| 94
| 1764
|
|-
| 600th
| [[Khaled Mashud]]
| caught [[Lasith Malinga]]
| 6
| {{cr|BAN}}
| 101
| 1786
|
|-
| 650th
| [[Makhaya Ntini]]
| caught [[Farveez Maharoof]]
| 13
| {{cr|RSA}}
| 108
| 1812
|
|-
| 700th
| [[Syed Rasel]]
| caught [[Farveez Maharoof]]
| 4
| {{cr|BAN}}
| 113
| 1839
|
|-
| 709th
| [[Paul Collingwood]]
| bowled
| 45
| {{cr|ENG}}
| 116
| 1851
| Breaks [[Shane Warne]]'s world record
|-
| 750th
| [[Sourav Ganguly]]
| stumped [[Prasanna Jayawardene]]
| 16
| {{cr|IND}}
| 122
| 1884
|
|-
| 800th
| [[Pragyan Ojha]]
| caught [[Mahela Jayawardene]]
| 13
| {{cr|IND}}
| 133
| 1964
|His final delivery in Test cricket
|}