Muraltharan joins Australia coaching staff

Did Murali accept spin bowler appointment in Australia ....
because of dislike to become coach in Sri Lanka?

A piece of news which brought some surprise to cricketing fans was reported yesterday. It was that the distinguished bowler Mutthiah Muralitharan whom Sri Lanka produced, joining with the Australian cricket team. He is the latest spin bowling Instructor in that country. Australia which
compelled him as 'chucking' twice or thrice and he wanted to take leave of the game; but as if by a stroke of fate now has handed over coaching off spinners to Murali himself.

The Australian cricket institution has mentioned that this coaching stint has been handed over to Murali because he surprised the world with spin. It is a part of his duties to train batsmen how to face spinners.

Muralitharan who came to the media sporting a cricket uniform told that he is really happy to become a coach of the Australian team and that through his dedication he hopes to develop the skills of the Australian team.

If Muralitharan who retired from Tests .... if he comes forward to do such a service for Sri Lanka .... it would be even better. Why did he not do such a thing?Is it because he is not chosen for such a thing or because of dislike? This is how he replied about it at the discussion he had with Silumina newspaper on January 5th.

*Don't you have an idea of becoming a Coach, Instructor for our team?
 I don't have that much of a liking for it and I don't have time for it.

*If you get a request for it?
 I don't like.

When Australia complained in 1995 that Muralitharan was 'chucking', It was Arjuna Ranatunga who was mostly instrumental in rescuing him. Last year at a newspaper interview this is how Arjuna brought it up once again.

"When Darrel Hair signalled that Muralitharan was 'chucking', I was in the dressing-room. that incident happened at a time when I went out of the grounds over a small ailment I suffered on my leg. It was Aravinda who was there on the grounds at that moment. As soon as this incident took place I went to the grounds and thought what should be done according to rules .... because if rules of law was not properly applied .... that would have spelled the end of Murali. At that point I protected Murali. I instructed him to bowl from both ends. On that occasion I showed the whole world that injustice was being done to Murali.

We planned a lot and told Murali to go behind the umpire and bowl a leg-break. Normally when a leg-break is bowled, it is not possible to bend the arm. Even technicalwise it has been concluded that a leg-break can't be 'chucked'. Darrel Hair signalled that even the leg-break that Murali bowled was a no-ball. When he said that the leg-break also was a no-ball, I went up and told that what he bowled was a leg-break ....so how could it be detected as 'chucking?' But Darrel Hair didn't say that he bowled something like that. We saw all over the world that from rupavahini proof that Murali bowled a leg-break.

Again in '98 that same issue cropped up. On that occasion President Chandrika Bandaranaike, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadiragarmar as well as Mr.S.B. Dissanaike who was the Sports Minister then spoke to me personally and asked what should happen. Those political leaders told me to take any action and throw away everything and come back to Sri Lanka. They had a fear that I would be penalized. If by chance it was done .... I was told to stop the tournament and to come back to Sri Lanka with the team. When injustice is done to us .... I got the feeling that moment that we are not alone.

When things began to take a turn for the worse, I tried to come away from the grounds with the team. But I told everyone not to go beyond the boundary line .... because I had a fear that if every one of us went out a suspension would be imposed on us all. So, later Only I went out so that the suspension would apply only to me. Actually I did so to show the world that these people were doing a wrong thing. Even Commentators like Tony Greig, Ian Chappell and Ian Botham spoke on our behalf. That also became a strength to us to creep away from this issue.

With Murali's problem .... a number of problems came upon me. There were problems from the ICC. At that moment Murali came and told me, "Aiye .... I'll go home .... you're facing a lot of problems because of me". At that moment what I told Murali was that I'd look after my problems and for him to stand with courage .... and that then it'll be easy for us to get over this issue. 

I realized that because of this problem Murali had mentally fallen down a great deal. Whatever it is, in the match we kept Murali away on the side. Later he came in as the 12th Man to field. Not only that .... even out of the grounds we were with Murali. If i happened to attend a function somewhere or go to a friend's place, I used to take Murali with me. Aravinda also did the same. Roshan, Hashan and Gurusingha also took Murali wherever they went. That's how Murali's mentality was adjusted. Those days senior players had a surprising affection for other players".