1) Sanath Jayasuriya the marauding opener from Matara was playing his final test
2) Chaminda Vaas was playing in his 100th test
3) Kumara Sangakkara became the 1st player in history to register scores of 150+ in 4 consecutive tests
4) The most important one - Mutthiah Muralidhar displacing the record of Shane Warne and thus becoming the highest wicket taker in the history of the game of Test Cricket.
This post is however exclusively about the wily off spinner from Kandy and his amazing unbelievable achievements. Now let us take a small statistical analysis between bat and ball. The ideal comparison would be equating a test hundred with claiming a 5 wicket haul and on similar lines a double hundred could stack up to a match wining 10 wicket haul. In simple parlance taking this ratio into account, we can perhaps say a wicket would account to 20 runs scored from the bat.
If this basis holds true then Muttiah Muralidharan could easily be considered the greatest cricketer of this era and probably the greatest to have ever played the game. Let's take some concrete facts into play. We will compare Murali with some of the greatest cricketers of this era (90's & onwards) with batsman like Sachin, Lara, Kallis & Ponting along with bowlers like Warne, McGrath, Kumble and Akram.
The comparison will be done on 3 basis points
1)Runs/Wickets per test
2)No. of 100's/5 Wicket Hauls per test match
3)No.of 200's/10 Wicket Hauls per test match
2)No. of 100's/5 Wicket Hauls per test match
3)No.of 200's/10 Wicket Hauls per test match
Murali's record stands as follows:
713 Wkts in 116 tests=6.15 wkts per test match=123 runs(6.10*20)
61 5 Wicket Hauls=116/61=5 Wkts every 1.90 test matches (At the time of writing he has notched up his 62nd 5 Wicket haul)
20 10 Wicket Hauls=116/20=10 Wkts every 5.8 test matches
61 5 Wicket Hauls=116/61=5 Wkts every 1.90 test matches (At the time of writing he has notched up his 62nd 5 Wicket haul)
20 10 Wicket Hauls=116/20=10 Wkts every 5.8 test matches
Warne's record:
708 Wkts in 145 Tests=4.88 Wkts per test match=97.6 runs(4.88*20)
37 5 Wicket Hauls=145/37=5 Wkts every 3.92 test matches
10 10 Wicket Hauls=145/10=10 Wkts every 14.5 test matches
McGrath's record:
37 5 Wicket Hauls=145/37=5 Wkts every 3.92 test matches
10 10 Wicket Hauls=145/10=10 Wkts every 14.5 test matches
McGrath's record:
563 Wkts in 124 Tests=4.54 Wkts per test match=90.80 runs(4.54*20)
29 5 Wicket Hauls=124/29=5 Wkts every 4.28 test matches
3 10 Wicket Hauls=124/3=10 Wkts every 41.33 Test matches
29 5 Wicket Hauls=124/29=5 Wkts every 4.28 test matches
3 10 Wicket Hauls=124/3=10 Wkts every 41.33 Test matches
Sachin's record:
11289 runs in 142 Tests=79.5 runs/match
37 Centuies=142/37=A century every 3.84 matches
4 Double Centuries=142/4=A double Century every 35.5 test matches
37 Centuies=142/37=A century every 3.84 matches
4 Double Centuries=142/4=A double Century every 35.5 test matches
Lara's record:
11953 runs in 131 Tests=91.24 runs/match
34 Centuries=131/34=A century every 3.85 matches
9 Double Centuries=131/9=A double century every 14.55 test matches
The players which are been compared with Murali are some of the greatest to have ever graced the game and would most probably be in almost all greatest World XI Lists but when you compare their records with Murali, it just doesn't match up to his standards purely based on these basis points.
11953 runs in 131 Tests=91.24 runs/match
34 Centuries=131/34=A century every 3.85 matches
9 Double Centuries=131/9=A double century every 14.55 test matches
The players which are been compared with Murali are some of the greatest to have ever graced the game and would most probably be in almost all greatest World XI Lists but when you compare their records with Murali, it just doesn't match up to his standards purely based on these basis points.
Actually if we take out Murali from the list, there is actually a great competition between the other names mentioned. In fact other than the one's mentioned Murali's record is far superior to other greats of the game who played before his era such as Hadlee, Lillee, Gavaskar, Viv Richards and a lot more. Only one player's record matches with Murali and that is the great Donald Bradman.
Now considering the Don's remarkable record:
6996 runs in 52 Tests=134.54 runs/match
29 Centuries=52/29=A Century every 2.79 tests
12 Double Centuries=52/12=A double Century every 4.33 test matches
But then again the Don has played only 52 Tests and that too most of the matches against a particular nation England. I admit it's very unfair comparing a batsman and a bowler but I believe stats paint a true picture over a period of time and the numbers put up showcases how brilliant Murali is.
29 Centuries=52/29=A Century every 2.79 tests
12 Double Centuries=52/12=A double Century every 4.33 test matches
But then again the Don has played only 52 Tests and that too most of the matches against a particular nation England. I admit it's very unfair comparing a batsman and a bowler but I believe stats paint a true picture over a period of time and the numbers put up showcases how brilliant Murali is.
Notes:
1)I have specifically discarded Averages because i believe batsman have a major edge over the bowlers because of not out innings.I believe runs or wickets in a test match is the only way to compare a batsman and a bowler.
1)I have specifically discarded Averages because i believe batsman have a major edge over the bowlers because of not out innings.I believe runs or wickets in a test match is the only way to compare a batsman and a bowler.
2)I have not compared a proper all rounder like say Gary Sobers or Imran Khan and have included only specialist batsman or bowlers.
Stat Details: Cricinfo.com
This post as the title states is not just about comparing Murali with the Don but more as to celebrating the achievements of this man from Kandy as probably the greatest cricketer of this era and probably one of the best ever to have played this lovely sport.
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